


The Day The Lights Went Off

by TheZ1337



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha Anakin Skywalker, Alpha Flip Zimmerman, Alpha Paterson, Alpha Phasma, Alpha Poe Dameron, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - High School, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Cum Dumpster, Female Alpha, Gang Violence, Gay Poe Dameron, Honestly If You Get Through This I Promise It Has A Happy Ending, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Huxcest, Implied/Referenced Abuse, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Lawyer Kylo Ren, M/M, Major Character Death is Anakin So Don't Worry, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Andrew Henry, Omega Armitage Hux, Omega Caleb (Ex Machina), Omega Thomas, Speech Disorders, Survival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 16:15:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18502513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheZ1337/pseuds/TheZ1337
Summary: Life pre-apocalypse was as normal as it could be. Teenagers made bad decisions when it came to romance, and kindness abounded even in the smallest spaces.But when the apocalypse happens for reasons unknown, small groups begin to form to protect themselves from the invading outside world.The 501st and its leader, Anakin Skywalker, threaten to raid and plunder everything in their immediate vicinity. But Kylo who is leader of the Citadel, provides a safe haven for those lost and weary alphas or omega who come looking for shelter.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Kylux Adjacent fic; there is Kylo/Hux, but also a myriad of characters played by Adam and Domhnall. This is very loosely based on Star Wars, and many timelines/character arcs are scrambled and turned in to individual characters.
> 
> This is a Happily Ever After, but please double check the tags for triggers. The Major Character Death Is Anakin, and you'll want him to die by the end of this anyways.

For most, school started too early in the day. Students dragged themselves out of carpool or off the bus with the newest iPod stocking their backpack, with boys clad in jeans that were too skinny. Kylo had willingly transferred one school over in his senior year, not only because most of his friends were here, but because they had a joint program with the community college. If he did well in the first semester, he could attend school once a week next semester, and supplement his education with up to 9 community college credits.

Kylo also got to drive to school without his annoying younger brother Flip who was a freshman. He was spared the embarrassment of it as he pulled in the parking lot in a shiny, black pickup truck that Leia had bought for him.

It wasn’t that difficult for Kylo to fit in or find his way around, though he was slightly disappointed not to see any of his friends as he went in the front doors. Kylo went to the office to pick up his schedule, a Vans backpack slung over both shoulders. The receptionist was flippant, a behavior unwarranted for a student like him. Kylo was quiet, undemanding, and got along with pretty much everyone.

The receptionist printed out his schedule and rattled off what each of the other papers were that she handed to him. There was a map of the school, and she circled the location of each of the classrooms he’d need to get to in red. Then there was a list of school clubs and when they met, as well as the lunch menu and after school activities.

The first bell rang and Kylo hurried off to class, shoed out of the office by the secretary who smelled like too much dark coffee. People scattered from the hallways as they hurried to off to various Homerooms, and Kylo wound his way through the main school building as he followed the map to where his first class should be. But when he got there and inquired, he found he was in the wrong room.

The second bell rang which meant that Kylo would be late. He frowned as he ran up the stairs two at a time, and discovered the classroom that was above where he’d just been, with its door still open. He was grateful as he hurried towards the door, but found it blocked by a quarterback with a letterman jacket, who was arguing with the teacher.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’m sorry Anakin, but your homeroom is downstairs,” said an older woman with her hair in a bun. From what Kylo could see as he lingered out in the hallway, she looked to be about a foot shorter than the student she was talking to.

“But I’ve been in this homeroom since I was a freshman.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t say you’re on my roster. Why don’t you go down to the office and ask about that?”

“Come on,” he groaned as he rolled his eyes, and nearly barreled in to Kylo who had to quickly pivot out of the way as the guy walked past him. He didn’t even apologize, but Kylo ignored it as he peeked back in to the classroom.

“Yes, can I help you?” Asked the teacher.

“Um, yeah I’m looking for my homeroom. My schedule says room 228.”

“This is the right place, what’s your name?” The teacher said as she walked over to the desk in the front of the room where she had the class list.

“Uh, Kylo. Kylo Ren.”

“Kylo Ren...” she repeated, finger going down the line of names. “There you are, gotcha. Alright Kylo, take a seat anywhere you’d like.”

Kylo nodded and scanned the room. It was your standard aging classroom with large windows along one side, and a whiteboard behind the teacher’s desk. On the far wall were some books piled up, and he assumed that they were the textbooks for whatever class this teacher taught.

And every seat seemed to be filled. All except for one.

A quiet looking omega sat, wound tight, with hands in his lap and the only open chair directly next to him. Kylo shrugged, hesitant; omegas were rare. Even though they were around, he was surprised to see one in his homeroom. And, he was even more surprised because he himself was a very available alpha.

He hesitated before going over though because the room grew quiet, and it felt like everybody was staring at him. It was obvious now that the jock who’d been blocking the door had probably planned to sit right next to this omega. Kylo had a hunch that they might have been bonded, so he felt like an intruder as he sat down next to the red-haired omega who didn’t look up.

Kylo shrugged off his bag and reached in to pull out a planner and a pen. He couldn’t help it though as he dared to sneak a glance over at the omega. After all, he’d literally just taken the place of that Anakin guy, though by no means of his own.

And the omega, so soft though slightly sad in a way, was decidedly staring at the baseboard behind the teacher, eyelashes tinted blonde that made him look even sweeter. Kylo looked away, and mustered all his willpower not to stare any longer than he dared to.

* * *

Things didn’t seem to be working out for Anakin. In third period chemistry, where Kylo again came in to contact with him and his omega, Anakin was once more not on the class list.

“This is bullshit!” he said as he stormed out, once again almost running in to Kylo and once again Kylo had to side step to get out of his way. He didn’t think anything of it until he was told to sit in the only seat available, which was right next to that shy omega from homeroom.

Kylo froze as he looked desperately around. But the teacher, a stern faced older man with skin overly tanned from spending summer on the beach said in an exasperated tone, “Well, take your seat.”

Kylo walked over, hands shoved deep down in the pockets of his skinny jeans. If only he could bury himself there, then he wouldn’t feel all the eyes on him,  _again_ , as he slid in to the spare seat next to the same red-haired omega.

The guy, for his part, stared straight ahead, though he was ever so slightly leaning away from Kylo as he sat down. Kylo rifled through his bag for the spiral notebook he’d scribbled “Chem” on the front of, and took out a pen.

The teacher began to talk and describe the scope of the class, and students were paired off with the people they shared a table with. The table, like most science classrooms, had a high, bar-top style table with black stone of some sort, a Bunsen burner and several beakers. The teacher droned on for a while as he went over the syllabus, though he stopped halfway through the class, and instructed them all to introduce themselves to their partners.

“You’ll be spending all semester with them, so it’s better to get to know them now.” Kylo held his breath, and turned only his head in the omegas direction. The omega looked terrified, his eyes staring fixated on the black marble top of their shared work space.

“I’m sorry about this, really. I don’t know what happened,” Kylo apologized immediately.

“It’s okay,” was his automatic response. His voice was quiet and meek, though glancing at him, Kylo could tell something was off. Something wasn’t quite right about this omega.

“Sure,” Kylo drifted off, knowing he shouldn’t even be talking to this guy. But if they  _were_ going to be working together for the rest of the year, he ought to at least know the guy’s name that would be scribbled on their shared worksheet.

“I’m Kylo, by the way,” he said, though didn’t offer a hand shake. The last thing he wanted to do was touch this claimed omega.

“I know,” he said, and shrugged a shoulder in Kylo’s direction. “From homeroom.”

“Right,” Kylo nodded and clicked the back of his pen briefly before he stopped himself.

“I’m Hux,” the guy offered, and Kylo immediately felt a bit of the ice between them melt.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Hux said, and squeezed his hands nervously between his thighs. His ankles were hooked together around one leg of the stool, and he looked almost like he was cold. Kylo didn’t inquire about it though.

“If he comes back—”

“Anakin,” Hux corrected immediately.

“Uh, right. Anakin. Look, if he does come back, I’ll just be a third wheel somewhere else. I don’t want to invade your guys’ space.”

Hux lifted his eyes a bit, before finally, very hesitantly, he glanced over. But when he did, his eyes roamed down Kylo’s side as Hux gave him the once over before he looked away. “Thank you,” he said, though after that, they didn’t talk at all.

Twenty minutes later when the bell rang, Hux was instantly out of his seat. He didn’t even have time to put his stuff away, so instead he scooped it up in his arms and he was out in to the hallway. Kylo was slower, putting away his notebook and pen, and he filed out after everyone.

In the crowded hallway, he saw the tall quarterback from before as he shoved past people in the crowd. Instantly Kylo saw the head of red hair, a bright beacon in the sea of blondes and brunettes, making its way towards Anakin.

Kylo couldn’t help his curiosity, so he watched. He’d love to have an omega, even though he’d only turned eighteen over the summer. Then he wouldn’t spend the occasional night sad and worrying over whether he’d ever find  _the one_.

Hux was instantly enveloped by Anakin though, and Kylo felt like he was spying on an intimate moment, despite their embrace happening in the middle of the hallway. He saw them exchange some words, perhaps something about their undying love, before Anakin abruptly looked up.

His eye were dead set on Kylo who spooked at the look; this guy was way too intense. As if to mark his territory and to tell Kylo to back off, Anakin slung an arm over Hux’s shoulder, which effectively blocked him from view as they turned.

Kylo was left standing a bit dumbfounded at how protective Anakin was of his omega who was clearly incredibly attached to him. Kylo shrugged, and already found himself dreading the next homeroom, or third period Chem.


	2. Chapter 2

Leave it to Kylo to get in trouble during his first month at a new school. He’d been messing around with some of his friends, though he’d been the only one left standing when the shoe dropped.

He was given detention for a full week, and though it should have been a punishment, he’d been in detention before. Kylo didn’t mind it, despite the mark it would leave on his record. It would give him time to do homework without his annoying little brother bothering him, so he wasn’t too upset as he made his way to the first floor classroom.

Kylo was once again frozen in the doorway of a classroom. He doubled checked the number to make sure it was right before he stepped in. There, seated in the center of the room with his arms crossed and looking surprisingly angry, was Hux. He stared at the teacher’s desk that was empty, and if he noticed Kylo enter the room, he didn’t show any sign of it.

Kylo quietly chose the desk farthest from Hux to try to keep his distance. How the hell had Hux ended up in detention? Over the past few weeks, the guy was nothing but quiet, and calm, and gentle whenever they had to handle anything dangerous in chemistry class. It made no sense that he would get in some sort of trouble.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, Kylo watched as the minute hand got closer and closer to its mark. A few seconds later the bell rang, and Kylo realized he’d been sitting on the edge of his seat. There was no teacher yet, and it appeared that it was only the two of them in detention today. On a whim, and with very little thought, Kylo got up and darted over to Hux.

Sliding off his backpack, he sat down at the desk that was right next to Hux. Hux seemed to notice him then, and gave him a spare glance before he did a double take. Hux opened his mouth like he was about to say something, just as the teacher walked in.

The teacher paused, looking at both of them. Kylo was sure it was obvious what was going on, and that the teacher would split them up. But then he just went to his desk, and took a moment before he sat down. “No talking.”

Then the teacher sat down and opened a grade book, and Kylo let out a sigh of relief. Why had he done that? He wasn’t sure. Something had driven him forward to sit next to the omega though, who was now angrily staring ahead. Kylo again began to wonder what had caused Hux to wind up in detention.

Now that he couldn’t move seats, Kylo decided to do the only thing that made sense: homework. He pulled out a take home English test on some mundane book he’d read in his last school, as well as the book that he thumbed through. He didn’t look over at Hux, trying to give him space since Hux was obviously going through something.

Slowly though, Hux began to unfurl as the quiet minutes ticked by. He uncrossed his arms though his shoulders stayed hunched, and reluctantly he began to pull out some homework. Kylo tried not to look, but he couldn’t help himself as he spied on Hux out the corner of his eye.

Kylo watched as he saw Hux flip open a binder to the same take home quiz that he had. Kylo glanced down at his sheet, though it was almost done because he’d finished early in class, so he was able to get ahead.

Tapping his pencil a few times in contemplation, Kylo decided to rip out a sheet from his spiral notebook. He pulled it out quietly in an attempt not to raise the teacher’s suspicions. He pulled it off the perforated edge, and began to number it.

One through twenty five he went, and wrote the letter corresponding with each of the answers. Then he folded it in half, leaving only two blank, and slid it to the edge of his desk. He made a distinct motion to look over at Hux and scooted slightly in his seat. Whether Hux was watching him out of the corner of his eye too, or if the motion had gotten his attention, was unclear. What was clear though was that Hux decidedly glanced over, and dared to look up at Kylo.

When he caught Kylo’s eye, Kylo thought he could die. Icy blue and gorgeous; he’d seen them before in class, but something was different in them now. They were full of anger, and the sad weight of whatever had caused him to end up in detention. Kylo tried to give Hux an encouraging smile, even though he was about to convince Hux to cheat.

Hux glanced back down at the paper, and his face grew dark in anger as he squinted, truly contemplating if he should take the paper or not. After all, Kylo reasoned, Hux had no idea what was on it. But then Hux took a quick glanced at the teacher, before he nodded to Kylo.

Kylo slid the paper halfway off his desk, and Hux snatched it quickly, and laid it out flat on his binder as he chanced another glance in the teacher’s direction. But the teacher was looking down at the papers he was grading, so Hux slowly opened the folded paper, and Kylo watched as he realized what it was.

When Hux glanced at his own notes, Kylo felt himself relax. He leaned away to give Hux some space to think over his proposition. With the two of them working on this homework assignment, they might both get an A.

Releasing his pen that Hux had been gripping too hard, Hux looking the answers over once. Then he willingly filled in the missing answers Kylo had left out. He also put a question mark next to two others, and wrote one word before he handed the paper back.  _Why?_

Kylo was delighted as he looked at that neat, cursive handwriting. He eagerly answered the question, something about the main characters first wife that’s mentioned in the story, and something on character motives. They collaborated silently, handing the paper back one or two more times as they explained their reasoning. The conclusion was the most probable answer, and when Kylo got the paper back for the last time, he smiled more than he should have at the last word Hux had scrawled.  _Thanks._

He nodded, and was just about to write “you’re welcome,” when the bell rang. Hux started, like he was caught by surprise. But then he was hastily shoveling everything back in to his backpack, and out the door in a split second.

Kylo was quick to shove his things back in to his backpack so he could follow, eager to thank Hux in person instead of just on paper. He followed Hux out only to see Anakin there, verbally laying it in to Hux. As Anakin squeezed Hux’s upper arm and Hux looked tense, though didn’t pull away, Kylo balked at how forceful Anakin was with him. As they turned and walked away, Kylo could swear he heard Hux whisper a quiet and desperate, “I’m sorry.”

* * *

Flyers went up that week for the upcoming harvest festival. It was going to have the typical carriage rides, pig races and a pumpkin pie eating contest. Kylo had missed last year and was eager to go, though if he didn’t behave himself, he’d never get out of detention.

He was eager, though, to see if Hux was going to the harvest festival. He reasoned that maybe he wasn’t eager for that specifically, as he quickly walked in to the last day of detention. Maybe he was just eager to see Hux in general, though he tried not to think that was the reason he had a small smile on his face.

After that first day, he’d come to realize that Hux was, surprisingly, early to detention. So he’d been showing up early too, allowing them time that was unsupervised, where they could talk. And Hux had quite a bit of personality, when he wasn’t being smothered by Anakin.

“Hey, are you going to the harvest festival?” Kylo asked, slightly out of breath since he’d run there from across the quad.

“Um, I wasn’t thinking about going, no,” Hux said, bundling up the cuffs of his long sleeve shirt in his hands. But he turned towards Kylo, a hint of a smile on his face. Being around Hux, even if it was only in the few minutes before the period started, was nice and it was almost like they were friends.

“Oh. Well it’s fun. I missed last year, but I want to go this year.”

“What do you do there?”

“Well, there’s lots to do. We could pick out pumpkins, or get our faces painted--"

“We?”

Kylo froze as he realized that in his excitement, he’d already assumed Hux would be going with him. Kylo sat back, lowering his eyes and realized he’d overstepped his boundaries big time. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I can go. Maybe.”

“Yeah?” Kylo asked quietly, trying not to be overbearing. Hux was easily overwhelmed, or at least seemed on the verge of crying half the time they were together. And he still hadn’t found out what had caused Hux to earn a weeks’ worth of in detention in the first place.

“Maybe.”

“Okay,” Kylo said, and the bell rang. He paused, thinking about the possibilities. “How about Saturday? At 2?”

“How about 4? I have violin lessons at 2.” Just then the teacher walked in, and Kylo was nearly beaming. 

“Sure! I—”

“Remember what I said on Monday?” The teacher cut in. “No talking. I’d hate for you to both do another week of detention just when you’re at the end of it.”

Kylo and Hux quieted down, and Kylo felt giddy as he gripped his backpack. There was nothing in the world that could make him focus on homework right now, because he officially had a date with an omega, who seemed equally as distracted, as Hux sat staring at his desk, not even feigning trying to reach for his homework.


	3. Chapter 3

Kylo couldn’t sleep. He was too riled up and excited to doze off. In his room all alone, he reached down to readjust himself as he thought about the next day. There was face painting, the pie eating contest, hot cider to be drank and so much more. He wanted to show Hux a good time, so he’d have to pull out some cash from the tin of savings he kept under the bed. There wasn’t much, but he wanted to have enough for their date.

He rolled over and pulled down one of the pillows from the bed and hugged it tight. He couldn’t help himself as he rubbed against it, cloth of his boxers preventing his slowly hardening bulge from feeling the cool side of it. Kylo tilted his head down, and pressed his face in to the pillow. It felt good if he could just convince himself that it was someone else who was wrapped up tightly in his arms. If he thought it was someone else’s neck that he was nuzzling in to, and their back was at his front, it created a little more friction around his length.

Kylo exhaled and lifted his head; he had to do this. If he didn’t do it now, he knew that it would be all he’d be thinking about while with Hux. So, he rolled over on top of the pillow, and reached under his mattress.

He scrounged around and pulled out an already opened packet of lube. It was one of those cheap, one-time use ones, but he’d only used half last time he’d done this. With it in hand, Kylo rolled back over and pushed down his boxers, making a point to kick them down to the end of the bed. Then he wet his hands with the little packet and began to stroke himself. His cock reacted almost instantly to the attention.

Kylo discarded the pillow he’d been supplanting for a warm body, and reached up to tuck an arm under his head as he stroked quietly in the darkness. If he thought hard enough, he could see Hux’s face. It was always from the side, slightly inclined towards him. And his cheeks were so soft, that full head of hair perfectly lining his forehead and giving way to tiny ears Kylo could nibble on all day.

He groaned, and tossed the blanket off, before he went back to stroking. If he had Hux, he’d treat him right. None of that controlling behavior that left him so quiet and meek; Kylo tried not to think about Anakin laying his dirty paws on Hux.

“Oh Hux,” he whispered in an exhale. Kylo squeezed as he stroked up and down faster, until his stomach was twitching. He wanted to badly to roll over and hear the way Hux squeaked or sighed. He’d almost gotten Hux to laugh once, even. Now though, he was pining for the noise, and could only imagine the bashful, quiet laughter that he’d have to work for.

Kylo came on his stomach, holding his breath to keep from making too much noise. Not that Leia would hear him; she was in their own bedroom with the door shut. He gave himself some final tight strokes to make sure he was fully satisfied, before he eased up and let his hand slide down to his hip to rest. That’d been quick, and he made a mental note to do it more often so he wouldn’t be itching for it so bad.

Now that he was undressed, he didn’t bother putting back on his boxers. Instead, he pulled them up from the bottom of the bed and wiped himself off. Then he stowed the empty packet of lube, making a mental note to sneak it out tomorrow and toss it in the trash so Leia or the housekeeper had less of a chance of finding it. As he pulled the blanket up to his chin, he sighed and settled in for the night now that he was finally able to sleep.

* * *

The entrance to the harvest festival was flanked with two flag poles that held up the banner for it, each end stuck in to one of the various hay bales placed around as a border. The festival took up an entire park, turning what had once been a baseball field in to a giant parking lot.

Kylo waited by the entrance, half leaning, half sitting on two hay bales stacked on top of each other. He checked his phone every few minutes as time passed beyond four o’clock. He was afraid it might start to get dark and wondered if this date would not only be spoiled, but if it was a bad idea after all.

Cars stopped at the intersection in the street next to the park, and no Hux got out of any of them. Kylo waited, and his hope dwindled. Then the light turned green, and cars began to go. Kylo checked his phone, and it was nearly 4:30. He wasn’t sure how long he should wait, until he looked up and saw that Hux had magically appeared across the street.

Kylo lit up as he pushed off the hay bales. Hux raised a hand through an oversized sweater to give Kylo a small wave. Kylo gave a hesitant wave back, trying to tame his excitement. He hadn’t realized until now that he hadn’t actually expected Hux to show up; after all, was it cheating if he went out, alone, to the harvest festival, with an alpha that wasn't the one he was promised to? Or mated with? Kylo wasn’t even sure of their official status.

So, he walked to the end of the sidewalk, and waited for the light to change. When it did, Hux dutifully used the crosswalk, and Kylo waited on the other side, giddy with excitement. He shoved hands in his pockets as Hux approached, trying to remain calm.

“Hey,” he greeted. They didn’t exchange a hug, or a handshake.

“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Hux looked paler than normal, though once again with an air of sadness about him. Kylo hoped to change that, which was the usual case when he and Hux had just a few minutes of conversation.

“No worries, I’m glad you came.”

“Me too,” Hux said, but it sounded insincere. Kylo was slowly learning that when he sounded insincere or uninterested, it probably meant that Hux knew he shouldn’t be happy to be with another alpha. He was deflecting, but Kylo could deal with that.

“You look cold, wanna get some cider?”

“Sure, yeah,” Hux said and he glanced around like he was disoriented, and worried. But then he readjusted the front of his sweater and followed Kylo in to the festival, away from any prying eyes.

* * *

They sat on a line of hay bales, Kylo doing his best not to be too impeding on Hux’s space. But it was so hard when he had Hux all to himself, and Hux was so gently blowing on the hot cider in a disposable mug.

Kylo sat cross legged, facing him, while Hux sat with his feet firmly planted on the ground, looking around as he people watched.

“Can I ask you a question?” Kylo asked, warming his ungloved hands on the cup.

“Sure,” Hux said as he glanced over at Kylo, though didn’t let his eyes linger.

“How’d you end up in detention?”

Hux looked down at his feet and took several long seconds to contemplate his answer. Then he spoke up, and it wasn’t what Kylo wanted to hear. “I don't really want to talk about it.”

Regardless, Kylo shrugged one shoulder, “Okay.” This got another glance from Hux, but this time his eyes lingered on Kylo. Kylo offered Hux a smile over his steaming cup, before Hux lifted his own mug to his lips.

“Why were you in detention?” Hux asked back as he took a small sip.

“Ah, well. Me and my friend were dicking around; we destroyed a trash can,” he paused. “Not on purpose though.”

“How do you destroy a trash can?”

“Well, we uh, kind of... well we set up camera. Tipped it over. Then filmed us just, jumping on it and shit. But before we could finish, one of the teachers came over. I guess they didn’t like the vandalism,” Kylo smiled to himself, glad they’d gotten away with the camera, at least.

At this story, Hux seemed to perk up, a smile crossing his face. “You filmed it?”

“Yeah. Which is stupid really, because we would have been caught if we put it up anywhere.”

“It sounds like you had fun though— lots of fun.”

“I did, yeah.”

“Yeah.”

Their conversation came to a lull, and Kylo couldn't help it. He was bursting to chat with Hux, finally having him alone and all. “You should have more fun.”

Surprisingly, Hux nodded in agreement, though he countered. “I study.”

“Well I study too. I’m not very good at it though.”

“What are you talking about?” Hux finally turned, torso facing Kylo as they talk and as Kylo looked up from where he’d been watching the steam rise from his drink, it felt like a breath of fresh air to finally be face to face with Hux. “You did great on that test.”

“So did you.”

“Yeah, but you helped.”

Kylo smiled a bit wider and nodded his head a bit. “Well, you’re welcome.”


	4. Chapter 4

Kylo dropped Hux off at home and reveled in being able to provide something even as small as this for Hux. Hux lived in a one-story house that was fairly normal, with a light on above the patio and a car in the driveway. He thanked Kylo for the good time and hopped out. Kylo pulled away from the curb, beaming from their date. It had been great, and Hux had even come out of his shell a little bit.

The next week however, when Monday came around, Hux wasn’t in homeroom. Kylo was curious as to why, and hoped it wasn’t because of their date. He immediately began to think the worst; maybe it had been a disaster to Hux. Maybe Kylo had actually been too overbearing. Maybe he’d been bored the whole time, and Kylo hadn’t read the situation right at all.

All the what-if’s floated through his mind until finally, the last bell of the school day rang. He hadn’t seen Hux at all which wasn’t actually that unusual. The only class they shared was homeroom and Chemistry which Hux hadn’t been in either. Besides that, they barely ever crossed paths besides that. And besides, even if they did, that smug Anakin would have blocked Hux from view anyways.

Kylo went out into the student parking lot and pulled the car keys from his pocket as he neared his truck. He circled around it to the driver’s side but froze when he saw Hux leaning up against the door, his head bowed and backpack at his feet.

“Hux, are you- oh my god,” he couldn’t help the exclamation. When Hux looked up, his right eye was bruised and almost swollen shut, with more bruising around it and a dark red handprint just slightly visible above the top of his collared shirt. “Are you okay?” he asked, immediately going to pull Hux in for a hug.

But Hux jerked away, taking two stiff steps back. “Can you take me somewhere?” He asked, avoiding eye contact.

“Uh sure, yeah. Where?”

“Anywhere,” he snapped, that anger that seemed to boil just beneath bubbling up. Then he went around the front of the truck, and hopped in to the passenger seat.

Stunned, Kylo stood there for a moment, before he hopped in to the driver’s side. He wouldn’t miss this opportunity to be a knight in shining armor, or at least to give Hux a safe place to recover. As he started the car, Kylo glanced over and saw Hux raising a hand to his face, as if to touch the bruised markings. Neither said anything about it though.

They sped out of the parking lot as Kylo tried to get Hux as far away from his abuser as possible. He didn’t ask but assumed that it would be none other than Anakin who’d done that. Kylo wondered what Hux had done to receive such a beating, and if that was why he hadn’t been in some of their shared classes.

They drove in mostly silence as Hux gently touched fingers to his face every now and then. Kylo wanted to tell him to stop that, but also didn’t want to tell Hux what to do when he obviously already had little to no control over what happened in his life.

The drive was quick, and as Kylo pulled up in to a driveway of a very modern, two story house, Hux lowered his hands and looked up at it.

“Where are we?” he asked quietly.

“Well um, I didn’t know where you wanted to go. So, I figured you might want a place that’s safe? And quiet?”

“Is this your house?” Hux asked as he unbuckled his seat belt. He didn’t seem repulsed by the idea, which was a good sign.

“Yeah. We don’t have to—”

“It’s fine,” Hux said, cutting him off, and hopped out of the car. For an omega, he sure seemed to have a temper. But Kylo didn’t mind; he’d do everything he could for Hux to make him comfortable. Kylo also decided that Hux could stay as long as he wanted, as he led Hux up the front walkway.

Inside, the floors were made of tan marble and a large chandelier hung over the entryway. To the right was a set of wide stairs, with various archways leading to other rooms in the house. Kylo paused as he shut the door, unsure where to locate them for the afternoon.

“I have a TV and Xbox up in my room. Or, we can hang out in the living room, whichever you want.”

“Your room is fine,” Hux said as he looked around. He looked mystified, eyes scanning the paintings on the walls though giving no outward sign of whether he liked them or not. Was he happy to be here, or just going along to get along? Kylo shrugged at all the unanswered questions, before he led Hux upstairs.

His bedroom was immediately to the right, and he dropped his bag by the table underneath his flat screen. It faced the bed, and the blinds were open to let in natural light. Kylo was nervous to see what Hux thought about Kylo’s inner sanctuary.

“Did you… make your bed?” Hux asked, staring at the navy blue down comforter.

“Uh, no. Our— we have a cleaning company that comes every other Monday.”

“You have a maid?” Hux asked, a smile slowly gracing his face.

“No, not a maid. A cleaning company. Maids come like, every day.”

“You have a maid,” Hux teased, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Fine, yes, it’s a maid I guess,” Kylo conceded as he smiled back at Hux, and pulled off his shoes. Then he grabbed the remote and hopped on to the bed, and it felt a bit awkward as he slid up to the head of it, fluffing up some of the pillows.

He flipped on the television and scrolled through the aps until he found Netflix, though he watched Hux out of the corner of his eyes. “Is Netflix okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Hux said, finally reaching down to unlace his shoes. Then he scooted back so he could rest his back against the pillows next to Kylo. But Kylo was very conscientious of the fact that Hux was sitting on the very edge of the bed, keeping as much space between them as possible. He was sure it was weird for Hux to be surrounded by everything-Kylo, when he was already so obviously with another alpha.

Kylo flipped through a few movies, debating which to choose. “What are you in the mood for?”

“Whatever,” Hux said, bending one leg up at the knee and shrugging as he pulled the sleeves of his shirt down over his wrists.

“Do you want ice?” Kylo asked as he turned to look at Hux. Hux froze, though he lowered his gaze, eyes going to the hands on his lap. He thought hard about it, before he gave a curt nod.

“Here,” Kylo said as he handed the remote control over to Hux, who was careful not to touch Kylo as he took it. “Why don’t you pick a movie, and I’ll go get some ice.”

Then Kylo hopped up and was quickly walking downstairs, his need to protect a hurt omega flaring up and making him jump in to action. As he went down the stairs, he hoped Hux was okay, though he knew better than to ask.

Upstairs, Hux sat silently as he flipped through a series of action flicks. Around him, Kylo’s room was warm, and a bit bright. But it was _safe_ , and Hux found himself sinking back in to the pillows a bit more than he meant to.

A minute later Kylo returned and handed over a bag of ice that was wrapped in a dish cloth. “What’d you choose?” he asked as he got back on to the bed from the other side. Kylo made the choice to sit far away from Hux, giving him the space he probably needed.

“How do you feel about action movies?”

“Sure! Something nice and fun, that way we don’t have to think.”

“... Exactly,” Hux said, sounding almost astonished. Kylo tried his damndest not to look at Hux. He’d never had an omega over and would never have imagined that Hux would be the first one in his room.

Hux clicked on a movie with an explosion happening behind the two main characters, before he set the remote down and picked up the ice pack.

They watched the movie in a slightly awkward, but welcome silence. The quiet was punctuated every now and then by them making small noises of approval as something was blown up, or a bad guy was killed.

The color of sunlight coming in began to change as the day passed, and halfway through the movie, their date was disturbed by a woman’s voice from downstairs. “Kylo?”

Hux sat up from where he’d been lounging a bit too deeply in to the pillows, immediately alert. “It’s okay,” Kylo soothed, and reached out a hand towards Hux, though he thought better of it when Hux’s eyes were drawn to the movement. Kylo paused the movie, “It’s just my mom.”

“Up here, hi mom,” Kylo said as he got up, and left the bedroom briefly.

“How was your day?” Leia said, a brown bag of groceries in one arm with a purse slung over her other shoulder.

“Good. I’ve got a friend over, so we’re just hanging out.”

“That’s great, would you guys like some pizza? I have a business call to make later, so I figured I’d order delivery.”

“Sure.”

“Great, let me know what kind and I’ll call for delivery.”

Kylo turned back to the room, walking back silently to see Hux had thrown his legs over the side of the bed, like he was going to stand up.

“She’s not... coming up here to check on us?” Hux asked, bewildered.

“No, why would she?”

“Well, you’ve got someone over.”

“And?” Kylo asked, getting back on the bed.

“And... I don’t know,” Hux said, hesitant to move back to resume his reclined position.

“Mom’s pretty chill, she gives me space and stuff. Plus,” Kylo said as he lowered his voice. “You don’t seem like the kind of guy who’d want many people to see you,” he didn't finish the sentence. Instead, Kylo motioned to Hux’s eye that was still bruised, though a little less swollen. “Ya know?” Kylo finished.

“Yeah,” Hux flinched but nodded in agreement, and pulled his knees up to his chest a bit, with his hands still in his lap. “Thanks,” he said, barely above a whisper. It was obvious there was more to Hux that he didn’t let on, but Kylo didn’t want to pry. If this even had a chance of becoming something more, he was going to let it unfold naturally, and not with 10000 prying questions.

So Kylo turned back to the tv, lounging once again on the bed, and pressed play. Eventually pizza was ordered, and Leia retreated to her office for an hours-long phone call with her coworkers. Kylo exchanged a few words with her when he got pizza and made up an excuse that his friend was having a hard day and didn’t want to come down. She didn’t ask too many questions, though shortly after she entered her meeting, Hux asked to be taken home.

As much as Kylo didn’t want to let Hux go back in to his terrible living situation, he had no choice in the matter. Hux looked sad as Kylo dropped him off, and Kylo wanted to reach out to sooth him again. But even after their first date at the harvest festival, and now their pizza and movie date, if it could even be called that, he still didn’t feel like he had a right to touch Hux.

Kylo waited until Hux got in the house, watching him slowly pull out his keys, and hesitate at the door. But as soon as he was inside, Kylo drove away, torn up about having to leave Hux.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: In the first chapter, its stated that Kylo turned 18 over the summer. So while its not explicitly stated, in this fic I'm imagining that Hux is a few months older and more mature than Kylo.

The next day in school, Kylo was standing in one of the hallways, doing nothing in particular. It was between second and third period, and he was debating whether he’d eat lunch in the cafeteria, or on the quad. He supposed it mattered where his friends were. But his thoughts were abruptly interrupted as he was pulled forward by the lapel of his jacket, and shoved back in to some lockers.

“What the fuck do you think you're doing?!” It was Anakin, who was so angry he was red in the face. “He’s mine, MINE.”

“What— back off!" Kylo shoved Anakin away. "I didn’t do anything."

“You stay the fuck away from him," Anakin, finger pointed right in Kylo's face.

“He’s not yours," Ben proclaimed, unsure of what made him say that. Suddenly he realized that they weren't bonded; Hux had no ties to any alpha. Maybe Anakin had said he'd claim Hux, who knew. But Ben could feel it, Hux was as free to go about with anybody he wanted as Kylo was. This realization made Kylo stand up a bit straighter.

“Are you serious?” Anakin asked, pausing. Kylo was bewildered, not sure if Anakin was about to back off, or attack. He got his answer abruptly when Anakin, with a closed fist, hit him right in the face, causing Kylo to stumble to the side. His face exploded in pain and he put a hand up to protect himself.

“He’s my fucking omega, and if you ever talk to him again,” Anakin threatened, landing a hard kick right to Kylo’s gut. Kylo doubled over, falling fully to the ground. “I’ll make sure to break your face. Got it?”

Kylo groaned, nodding as he watched Anakin’s shoes turn, and go towards a pair that looked vaguely familiar.

“What’s going on here?” he heard a familiar voice, probably one of the teachers. But he was in too much pain to identify which one, because he’d never been hit in his life.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Anakin said.

“Get to the principal’s office, now.”

* * *

That week in school was complete and utter bliss. Anakin had gotten a month of detention, which meant Kylo and Hux not only got to spend time together in 3rd period Chem, but they both stayed after school for study hall since Hux and Anakin carpooled most days.

It was nice, lowering their heads to whisper together over homework, and to share pens and even answers so they both got A’s. As the first weekend of Anakin's detention rolled around, Kylo was beaming at how much time and Hux had gotten to spend together.

Despite it being the weekend, Kylo almost wished that it wasn’t, because it meant he wouldn’t see Hux for a whole two days. But he was surprised when, walking to his car in the parking lot, Hux was standing next to it.

Since it was Friday, there was no study hall, though there was still detention. The law, even as minimal as the ones in school, never took a holiday.

“Hey,” Kylo said, frozen on the spot. There could only be one reason why Hux would be waiting by his truck, and if their blissful week was any indication, their time spent in Kylo’s room would be much more intimate than before.

“Hey,” Hux said, a bit of a smile on his face. Kylo had noticed that since they were spending an hour after school in study hall, Hux seemed to smile a lot more than before. Or maybe Kylo was just staring at Hux's face more often, though he tried not to think about it.

“Can I come over? Anakin’s still in detention so—”

“Yeah! I mean, yeah, sure, whatever,” Kylo tried to act cool about it, not wanting the omega to know just how eager he was to have him all to himself, in private. Kylo had only a second to debate whether he should go around and open the car door for Hux, before he went around and opened it himself. Nervously, Kylo threw his bag in the back, before he hopped up to the driver’s seat.

Their drive was spent in mostly quiet conversation about class, and there would be plenty of time to do homework later, they agreed.

By the time Kylo drove up to his house, he was positively giddy. He could tell something was going to happen, he just wasn't sure what. With the way Hux just seemed to sit there, even so unassumingly, it was incredibly alluring to think about reaching over and placing a hand on his thigh. But Kylo refrained, trying to wait for the omega to let him know it was okay, by making the first move.

Slightly embarrassed since it had been a few days since the house keeper had come, Kylo quickly snatched up some used boxers and yesterday’s dirty clothes from the floor before he threw them in to the closet, though missing he the hamper entirely. Then he hastily threw the comforter over the bed that had been messed up, and tried to fluff up the pillows.

“Sorry it’s a bit of a mess,” he said, embarrassed.

“No, no its fine. Better than before, actually,” Hux said, waiting until Kylo was done, before he took a seat on the bed, and began to untie his shoes.

“Should we— are you in the mood for another action movie?”

“Sure, whatever. It’s finally the weekend, so I’m fine with anything.”

Kylo nodded nervously and joined Hux on the bed with the remote control. He made sure to keep space between them again, like last time, as he flipped through a list of movies. He didn’t know how to tell Hux that they wouldn’t be disturbed; Leia was gone on a business trip, so now was both the best, and worst time to be alone with an omega.

He chose a movie while only half paying attention, instead casually lifting up one leg to bend at the knee, as a kind of guard against the bulge that was slowly nagging at him. If he made it through this alive, it’d be a miracle.

The movie started and they sat in silence, watching the credits in the beginning. Kylo could smell Hux so clearly, because he was taunting Kylo to be picked. Kylo glanced away, looking at the clock on his bedside table; they still had several more hours to spend together, so this would be the endurance test of a lifetime.

Hux seemed to immediately get in to the film, so Kylo tried to ignore his own need. It was easier when he pretended he was alone, and he twiddled his thumbs a little since normally he’d be on his phone playing a game, or texting while watching a movie.

“I’m surprised,” Hux said quietly, barely audible over the opening scene.

“Huh?” Kylo asked, turning to look and was surprised that Hux was looking right back at him.

“It’s already a minute in, and you haven’t tried to kiss me.”

“Wh— what?” Kylo asked, mouth suddenly going dry. The last thing he wanted was for his mouth to taste like a desert during their first kiss, which only made him more nervous.

“It must be difficult for you,” Hux said distantly, looking away like he was expecting a reprimand. “I can smell the arousal coming off of you.”

Immediately Kylo was up and crossing the distances between them. In a split second, he grabbed Hux by the face, a hand on either cheek, and dragged him up off the cushions in to a deep kiss. He tasted like chamomile and spice, mild but intensely seductive. Kylo groaned in to the kiss, hot breath over Hux’s mouth as he pressed Hux open, dipping his tongue in to taste.

He rolled over on top of Hux, pressing his groin in to the top of Hux’s thigh while bearing down with his own weight, and they moaned in unison. “Fuck,” he heard Hux gasp, and Kylo broke the kiss but not their touch, just as he was pulling Hux away from the pillows so he could lay flat on his back.

“What?” Kylo asked, alarmed but also kissing at Hux’s throat, and feeling him spread his legs to make more room for Kylo’s massive form.

“It’s never like this with Anakin.”

“Can we not talk about him?” Kylo asked, a bit harshly.

“Sorry, it’s just... well I won’t go in to it.”

Kylo nodded, and a moment passing between them. It was clear now that by doing this, and whatever it would lead to, that Hux was essentially cheating. Even if they hadn’t bonded, they were destined to be, so Hux was breaking that bond before it even started.

To get their minds off that elephant in the room, Kylo began to pepper Hux’s throat with soft kisses, gently grinding down in to him. He managed to weasel both legs between Hux’s, making the motions of several slow, but solid thrusts. Hux reached up, running fingers through Kylo’s thick hair and meeting his motions. He lifted his hips off the bed, like he was trying to get Kylo in to a good position.

Wrenching himself from Hux, Kylo broke away to yank his shirt off over his head, and he heard Hux undo his belt as he did so. Then he pulled Hux's shirt off and groaned at the large swath of pale skin that greeted him. Kylo stroked a large palm down the breadth of it, before his hands slid over Hux’s protruding hip bones. He grabbed on to the sides of Hux’s pants and yanked them down, pulling them clear off.

Kylo wasted no time in rolling them over, Hux groaning as he rose up to straddle Kylo. But he didn’t spare Kylo a kiss, because he immediately scrambled down the bed, taking Kylo’s pants with him. Kylo’s cock sprang free, bouncing slightly as the cool air touched his already moist tip. And then Hux pressed his nose right in to Kylo’s groin, lips pressed against where his inner thigh met the rest of his body.

Hux inhaled and Kylo rolled his hips, desperate for Hux’s mouth. He’d never had anyone smell him like this, and he'd never been so intimate with anybody before either. But it was clear that Hux knew what he was doing as he trapped Kylo’s scent, one hand running up to rest on Kylo’s stomach while the other reached behind himself. The fact that Hux was opening himself made Kylo feel jealous, though he knew he shouldn’t be.

“You feel so good,” Kylo managed to get out, his tip pinkening and base bulging at the thought of Hux’s mouth.

“You’ve barely even touched me yet,” Hux teased, finally pulling his nose out of Kylo’s most intimate place. Then he licked a long, slow line up Kylo’s undervein, and his lips pushed back the casing. Kylo moaned as Hux’s tongue flickered over him to make gentle circles that had Kylo arching off the bed.

An omega shouldn’t be able to do this, at least certainly not this good or without a fair amount of training. It was clear now that Hux had much more to offer than he let on, and Kylo felt like he was wasting this opportunity by letting Hux suck him off. But it felt so good, and his stomach twisted tight just by knowing they were going to go  _all the way._

Kylo reached down with and laced his fingers with Hux’s, which caused Hux to swallow Kylo down further. Kylo felt his pulse pound in his ears and the need to mate, to grind up or down in to a wet hole, was overwhelming. He squeezed Hux’s hand, trying not to harm him but he couldn’t help it as he dug nails in to Hux’s skin, trying desperately not to get too worked up.

But it was futile as Hux began to bob his head, so Kylo sat up and jerked away, leaving Hux to look up with a wet mouth and confused eyes. “Come here,” Kylo said, and pulled Hux towards him. Hux scuttled up the bed, his lips colliding with Kylo’s as Kylo positioned him. One leg was put on to either side of Kylo’s hips, while he reached behind to prod at Hux, his other hand wrenching open the nightstand drawer and pulling out the lube. He clumsily wet several fingers, and too much dripped down the back of his knuckles before Kylo wrapped an arm around Hux’s waist tight so he couldn’t get away.

These feelings to hold down and restrain were new; Kylo was never one to force anything on anybody. But now with Hux, the need to keep his mate close so they could properly copulate was too strong. When Kylo pushed a finger in he was surprised as Hux pushed back against it, pausing in their kiss as Kylo explored.

“How is it?” Hux breathed, and Kylo didn’t know how he was able to form words at the moment. Hux was perfect and soft and smelled like he would make the perfect addition to Kylo's bed.

“Good,” Kylo gasped, before inhaled sharply twice against Hux’s throat. He opened his mouth, intending on biting and marking, and sucking until Hux's skin turned blue. But Hux pulled back abruptly, and also pulled himself off of Kylo’s finger.

“Don’t bite me,” he warned quietly.

Kylo growled, his hand balling up in to a fist. “I can’t— how am I supposed to not?”

“Wait here,” Hux said, and he made to move off the bed. Kylo released him from the arm around his waist, but reached out to grab his arm when he realized Hux was getting off the bed. He had half of a sunken mind to pin Hux down and fuck him right then and there. But against his better instincts, and at seeing Hux’s slightly frightened gaze as he realized Kylo could take complete advantage of him, Kylo let him go.


	6. Chapter 6

Hux slipped off the bed and crouched down, where he rummaged through his backpack. Kylo opened and closed his fist as he rested it on his thigh, almost tempted to start jerking off because his cock had never throbbed this badly before. He watched though as Hux put on a thin, high leather collar, and affixed it on the back of his neck.

“Do you just carry that around with you?” Kylo asked in a moment of clarity.

“Sometimes,” Hux said, avoiding Kylo’s gaze as he tightened it to a comfortable fit. Then he got back on the bed, and crawled right up in to Kylo’s lap like he had been before. Kylo pulled Hux in to his arms, trapping him there and knowing that it would do Hux no good if he tried to get away now. As Kylo trailed one hand down Hux’s back, Hux beat him to it. Hux pulled himself open and scooted forward enough that Kylo’s cock tip dragged along under him and revealed itself on the other side, settled right in the dip that was Kylo’s main goal in all of this.

Kylo slobbered all over Hux’s collar, nose pressed upwards in to his jaw, though as he opened his mouth to bite in to the leather that would prevent him from marking Hux, he was grateful for it. It would do nobody any good if two alphas were fighting over Hux, so it was better that he remained claimed by Anakin, until this issue of them being together was resolved.

Kylo pressed the palm side of his fingers against his base, and together they seated Hux slowly onto Kylo. He groaned, body awash in sensation as his lips gravitated towards Hux’s. He kissed hard, though his brow was softened as the omega began to move. Kylo clung to him, letting him do the work while he got a grip on the world. Kylo tugged on Hux’s lower lip with is teeth, gently gnawing on it since he couldn’t bite anything else.

Then he flipped Hux over just as soon as Hux was moaning, and he hooked Hux’s knees over his elbows. Kylo dug his toes in to the bed, lifting almost fully off the bed as he thrust in to Hux, and he searched for some  impossible way to get that damn collar off his throat.

Kylo chewed on the top of it, spit and sweat smearing on the side of Hux’s face and down his jaw. Kylo pressed hard over and over in to Hux as he let himself be filled with Hux’s need. Hux raked his fingers down Kylo’s back and Kylo growled in response with a need to claim. His hips slammed in to the backs of Hux’s thighs and he heard Hux mutter as he reached up, “Fuck it.”

“No,” Kylo said, immediately capturing Hux’s wrists with one of his own wide palms, and pinning them above his head. “Leave it,” he commanded, unwilling to let Hux take off the collar despite how they both wanted it.

Hux whined, struggling to get his spare leg up to Kylo’s shoulder. When he finally did, they both gasped, Kylo hitting exactly the spot that would take them both across that line. Kylo groaned, lifting his face just enough so that Hux was the last thing he saw before he was blinded. Hux who was blushingly pink with even softer lips and lids designed with lust. It was Hux whose mouth he almost caught as Kylo swelled up and slipped over, barely even on the bed as he lifted up and slammed in to Hux.

An unrestrained moan was ripped from Hux’s throat and Kylo was on fire as he felt a sticky moisture smear between their stomachs. His own stomach hurt so bad that he thought he might pop, but then he was weightless, floating above Hux who was so brave beneath him. Kylo’s toes curled, his heart stopped, and his knot slotted perfectly into Hux’s depths, forcing cum and life down in to him.

Kylo groaned as the swirling slowed and the world began to still once more. His eyes were scrunched up so tight that it felt like only Hux’s touch, which was so soft with delicate fingers on his face, could draw him back down. Tenderly, Hux stroked Kylo’s hair away from his face where it was sticky with sweat. He tucked the locks behind one ear, and when Hux’s hand landed on Kylo’s cheek, Kylo finally opened his eyes.

Hux was smiling softly, still flushed and sweaty though seeming so much more confident than Kylo in this. Kylo kissed him, he couldn't help himself, and tasted the omega who was impossibly more delicious than before.

Slowly as the strain drained away and his heart stopped pulsing in his ears, he lowered himself on to his knees, then flattened out. Hux’s ankles hooked behind Kylo’s back as Kylo collapsed on to him, unable but also unwilling to pull away. He groaned as Hux stroked his cheek, as if he was the one in need of comfort after that. And perhaps, being his first time, Kylo did need the gentle hand of an omega to let him know that this had been perfect.

* * *

By the time Monday rolled around, Kylo was floating on a cloud. Sure, he hadn’t bonded with Hux. But it had been the first time he’d _done it_ , and he felt like they were really developing a relationship. Whatever happened going forward, Kylo would defend Hux against Anakin, and against the world, in fact, if he had to.

He went in to first period homeroom, and a bit to his surprise though not totally, Hux wasn’t there. Kylo tried not to give it much thought, since maybe he and Anakin were late. Third period Chem came around too, and there again, Hux wasn’t in class. Maybe he was out sick, Kylo thought to himself. Maybe Anakin was the one who’d hurt Hux, which only made Kylo worried.

But who was he, anyway? Kylo was a nobody, especially in Hux’s life. They’d gone out a few times and had classes together, but he really had no right to ask around to see if Hux was okay. He tried to stay calm, but was internally screaming when, the next day, Hux hadn't been to homeroom, Chem, or even study hall.

Kylo went to the office to ask, wondering why Hux had missed so much. Even if he was hurt, it seemed unlikely he'd be kept out of school. “It says he’s been withdrawn from this school, unfortunately,” the school administrator told Kylo.

“Withdrawn...?” His mouth ran dry again, staring at the lady who’d helped him when he’d first gotten to school, and who was no more helpful now.

“That’s what his records show.”

“Is there— can you tell me why?”

“The reasons are kept confidential for student safety.”

Kylo turned, dazed by the idea that Hux had been pulled out of school. He ran to his truck since it was after school, and floored it almost the entire way to Hux’s house. He didn’t even have Hux’s number to text him; in fact, he didn’t even know if Hux had a cell phone at all.

He pulled over, tires screeching to a halt as he stopped in front of Hux’s house. It was even worse than he’d thought. Right there, on the edge of the lawn closest to the sidewalk was a very large, very white, FOR SALE sign.

The blinds that had previously been in the windows were gone, and it looked like they’d already packed up to leave. Despite that, Kylo got out of the car and ran to the front door.

“Hux? Hux?!” he called out but got no answer. He pounded hard on the door twice before looking in through the side window. He gasped, seeing the house completely empty of all furniture. Had Hux’s dad really made him get up and move, so spur of the moment? Kylo stepped back, looking up at the windows of the second story of the house. “What did I do?” he whispered to himself, tears coming to his eyes. Kylo realized that the one omega he’d been planning to spend the rest of his life with was, in fact, gone.


	7. Chapter 7

The guy came around,  _again_. That was five days in a row, and Flip was certain that the guy wasn’t paying. Flip was an educator at the museum, charged with walking around spreading information about the museum to patrons.

The museum, strictly speaking, was for modern art, and every Thursday they had a free program for kids under age 12. Today was no different, though that same alpha who seemed a bit awkward and much taller than Flip was once again wandering the museum.

It wasn’t just that he kept going to the museum day after day; he was free to do that. What caught Flip’s attention was that he was there from open to close. And that meant he most likely didn’t have a job, so how was he paying to even get in to the museum? It had to be the ticket takers.

Flip made a note to have some words with the management team soon about it; this guy was skimping the museum that was already strapped for cash. After all, nobody invested in art any more.

Flip kept an eye out for the guy throughout the day, and spotted him near some impressionist paintings for a while. Flip loved art as much as anyone else, but even he got tired of seeing the same paintings day in and day out.

Finally around closing time, Flip was charged with rounding everyone up and making sure everybody left. Normally the guy with dark eyes and a calm demeanor was out the door when the announcement was made. But tonight, Flip found him by the only Monet they had, standing unassumingly with hands in his pockets.

“Excuse me, its closing time. You have to leave.”

“Oh yeah, I heard that,” he said, his speech slow and methodical. Flip felt a pang of guilt at his misplaced anger; he knew he shouldn’t be upset with the guy. If he liked art, that was great, and if he had nowhere to be, the museum was a good place to spend his time.

Flip tried to remain calm as he stepped up to the guy, following his line of sight to look at the painting. The flowers unfolded in soft pinks and purple, a little bridge off to the right-hand side where someone might take a stroll. Flip remained quiet, trying to see what the guy saw in the painting.

“It’s lovely,” the guy said.

“Isn’t it? Monet’s garden impressions are really very stunning.”

The guy looked over at him, then away, avoiding his gaze. Flip tried not to be too harsh, but time was ticking, and he had to get this guy out of the museum for the night.

“You work a lot,” he said, seeming to pick up the reason why Flip was there, so he turn to walk out of that particular wing of the museum.

“And you don’t. I don’t mean to be rude, I’ve just noticed you around a lot lately.”

“No, it’s fine.

“Oh,” Flip said, walking with the guy towards the stairs that led to the main entrance.

“Are you guys hiring, by chance?”

“You know, unfortunately we’re not.” The guys face sunk, like he’d really been hoping to get a job in this small interaction they were having. “But, well, maybe if you drop off a resume I can put in a good word for you if anything comes up.”

“I don’t have a resume,” he said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs near the front door. He continued to avoid looking at Flip, seeming shy which was a strange quality in an alpha. As an alpha himself, Flip didn’t quite understand the guy.

“Oh, well. I’m sure you can type one up.”

“No, I mean, I’ve never had a job.”

“Oh,” Flip thought about it, feeling a bit bad for this alpha who was so different than any he’d ever met before, including himself. “You could just put on it stuff you’ve done, like baby sitting or volunteering. I’m sure the library has some free resume workshops you can sign up for.”

“I used to mow laws in my neighborhood, that’s about it,” he sighed, turning to leave.

“Wait....” Flip thought about it as an idea came to mind. “We’re thinking about changing from a gardening business to a grounds keeper. You know we’ve got lots of acres of land that we don’t use, and this museum used to be a manor house so there’s extra rooms that aren’t being used.”

“I could garden,” he said, his eyes kind as he finally turned and made contact with Flip.

“Well you’d be a groundskeeper, not a gardener. You’d do general upkeep, is what I’m saying.”

“That would be...” the guy swallowed thickly, and he looked very fragile in his excitement. “Great. Yes, thank you,” he said, and stepped forward to shake Flip’s hand.

“You’re welcome. Here, leave me your number, and I’ll call you with more information.”

Then he wrote his number on a spare sheet of paper that they got from the ticket counter. The guy glanced to the omega at the ticket counter, and it was clear in the way that the omega leaned in towards the shy alpha to spy what he was writing, that they’d flirted in the past.

The guy handed him the note with a number scrawled on it, and handed the omega back the pen he’d borrowed.

“That's great. I’m Flip, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, finally. I’m Paterson.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of substance abuse, negative slurs, and cheating.

A decade on, Kylo was a junior criminal defense attorney at a law firm in the city. He’d worked hard through law school and graduated in only two short years. Now he was the youngest Bar-card carrying member of the staff, despite almost being in his 30’s.

While being a criminal defense attorney was his current job, it felt more like a stepping stone for what he really wanted to do. He had his eyes on politics, and with Leia’s connections, he was well situated to become one of the youngest senators on record. If he could put in a few good years and successfully defend important cases that came across his desk.

For now, he had a meeting with a client whose name seemed vaguely familiar. He’d been handed a folder for a guy with a long rap sheet, though it was all petty charges. Theft, simple assault, some disorderly conduct most likely from getting in to a fight were all there. He’d spent 6 weeks in jail for a DUI and the fines he’d paid were mysteriously paid off, since it didn’t look like he had regular employment.

It was a run of the mill meeting, until the guy showed up, and an all too familiar face stepped in to his office. Anakin had aged poorly from a rampant smoking habit and alcohol abuse. Kylo stood up to shake his hand, and by the look on Anakin’s face, he didn’t even recognize Kylo as he stood across the desk.

“Nice to meet you,” Kylo said, and he sat back down as Anakin took a seat across from him. If Anakin wasn’t covered in the scent of ashtrays and stale beer, Kylo knew he’d smell if Anakin had an omega, especially if it was the one he remembered. The name came back to him slowly, since that pair hadn’t crossed his mind in many years.

“Yeah, you too,” he said, reclining a bit too much with his legs spread a bit too wide. Anakin’s boots were unlaced, and he wore a black muscle shirt. Kylo was professional as he put his own personal biases to the side, and scanned Anakin’s file as he would with any other client.

“It says here you’re being charged with a simple assault and disorderly conduct by the state. And I’m going to be honest with you. Your record doesn’t look very good,” he said, and Anakin was decidedly uninterested.

“Yeah, well that fag shouldn’t have stepped up to me,” he threw out the slur, and Kylo didn’t say anything about it.

“Right, well. If you want to plead innocent, we can take this to trial. But if you plead guilty, I might be able to get you a deal,” he rambled on.

The meeting was short, and by the end of it Kylo had already made a phone call to the city prosecutor who’d pushed the case forward. Anakin didn’t shake his hand as he got up, and it was obvious he thought he was going to be able to skirt the law once again.

Kylo was left standing a bit dumbfounded as Anakin left his office, and he was just about to sit down and put the case at the bottom of his pile when he heard two voices outside of the office.

“Come on babe,” Anakin said, and Kylo instantly went around his desk. He walked out in to the hallway, to see Anakin with his arm slung over the shoulders of a familiar red head. He took two step forward, his eyes opened wide at the sight. He absolutely couldn’t believe it; had Hux been with Anakin all this time?

He looked down, his foot slipping on something, and then he knelt to the ground. Kylo turned over a piece of paper he’d stepped on, and it looked like it was ripped out of a notebook. It had a phone number and a time written in familiar hand writing. Without thinking, Kylo put the piece of paper to his lips, and he could almost taste the oil from Hux’s fingers.

* * *

The day was long, but they always were. He’d spent the morning meeting with clients, followed by being in court most of the afternoon. After that, he could finally get some work done in the office.

When it got dark, Kylo finally decided to go out to get some dinner. He chose to eat alone, since he had plenty to think about, and not a lot of time to waste. Just after nine, Kylo rolled in to the parking garage of his apartment building. It was in the better part of town, and boasted fifteen floors, with his apartment settled comfortably on the sixth.

The doorman greeted him, like every night, and he took the elevator up. The building had high ceilings and larger than average doors, with dusted white baseboards and tan carpet. Halfway down the hall, Kylo stuck his keys in the door with a leather briefcase in hand, and stepped inside.

His apartment was nice, but sparse. He’d hired an interior decorator to design it, so while he’d lived there for a few years, it still didn’t quite feel like home. It also didn’t help that he was still alone, though he told himself it was just because he was too busy working on his career to think about any romantic prospects.

Kylo put his briefcase on the marble counter top in the kitchen, and began to loosen his tie. He went to the bedroom and sat down on the plush queen mattress to untie his shoes. He put them side by side in the walk in closet, before he went back out in to the kitchen to pour himself a finger of whiskey.

With the glass in hand, he went to sit on the couch, and turned on the television as he glanced at the clock. Kylo wasn’t sure what to expect on the other end of the upcoming phone call, but he still had fifteen minutes until he was supposed to dial the number. It would be some of the most excruciating minutes he’d experienced in a long time.

Finally, exactly one minute after ten, he dialed the number from the paper. Kylo muted the television and clicked the green button to dial, before he lifted the cell phone to his ear. The space between each ring felt like the quiet before the storm. He listened intently, eyes zoned out as he called a random number, for a random person to answer.

The dial tone clicked as somebody picked up, Kylo’s eyes sharpened, focusing on the bamboo plant on the center of the coffee table. “Hello?” he asked, trying to sound authoritative but curious.

“Hey,” came a quiet, familiar voice, and Kylo relaxed back in to the couch as he put his drink down.

“Hey,” he responded, and he could hear Hux quietly laugh on the other end at repeating the greeting for a second time. As he breathed in to the receiver, Kylo wished that breath would wash over his face. His eyelids fluttered and the arousal was palpable on his tongue, though he was experienced in keeping control of himself.

“It’s good to hear your voice,” Hux said quietly. If Kylo listened hard enough, he thought he could hear cars passing in the background.

“Yours too.”

“I didn’t think you’d see my note.”

“I almost didn’t,” he confessed, feeling a small thrill at speaking to the omega again. It’d been so long that he’d almost forgotten the sound that melted him like butter.

“I’m glad you did.”

“Me too,” Kylo responded, and the phone grew quiet on the other side. “Where are you?”

“Oh, we’re at a motel. I’m at the payphone.”

“The payphone,” Kylo repeated, thinking it over. This raised so many questions. It was obvious that time hadn’t been kind to them, and he was sure that Hux hadn’t had an easy life. But he had so many questions, he didn’t know where to start.

“Can we meet?” Kylo asked, realizing just how desperate he was to see Hux face to face.

“Sure, where?”

“I’ll pick you up.”

“No,” Hux said, and Kylo sat up slightly. What did he mean by no? “I’ll meet you, just tell me where.”

“Uh, what area are you in? I can find somewhere nearby.” Kylo had a sneaking suspicion that Anakin wouldn’t know about this.

“We’re off 35th, near the tracks.”

“Near the tracks? Okay. I’m gonna give you an address, let me look it up really quick.”

Kylo gave Hux the address to a wine bar nearby. It was one of those new hipster spaces, made to look like a dive but with expensive paper napkins. He’d only been there once before, but it was the closest bar he could think of for Hux to walk to, since he assumed Hux didn’t have a car.

After they hung up, Kylo got to his feet. He went to put his shoes back on, because he was going to meet Hux. Tonight.


	9. Chapter 9

The bar was much nicer than Kylo remembered. It looked like they’d renovated it, and he almost wished they hadn’t. It had sleek, black counters and a DJ booth on a raised platform, though there was only background music playing because it was a week night. He felt comfortable in such an environment, but wondered if Hux would be too.

Kylo sat at the bar with a gin and tonic, trying not to stare at the door. But he was nervous; what would it be like? Would Hux still look and smell the same, or had he aged like Anakin? Would he have lost some of his softness, perhaps from their life and the litter they most likely had? Kylo hadn’t been this nervous in a long time, though it was short lived as the doors to the bar opened.

Hux looked uncomfortable as his eyes scanned the bar, a small smattering of people hovering over their own drinks. He shoved his hands in to jeans that were worn, and looked small in the long sleeve shirt that he wore. But he looked clean, if not a bit afraid, as he walked towards the bar.

When he caught Kylo’s eye, Kylo thought he could just die. Hux was still all there, still present and looking directly at Kylo as he got closer. Kylo felt his gut tighten, and didn’t know if he’d be able to resist touching, and feeling Hux during their secret meeting.

As if sensing what to do, Kylo slid from the bar as Hux got to it. They embraced, and Hux sunk in to Kylo’s chest, nose buried deep in to his shoulder. Kylo squeezed him tight around the waist, and inhaled deep too. Despite the worn, leather collar around his neck, it felt good to hug the omega. He smelled like cigarettes and cheap shampoo, but underneath, he was still deliciously alluring.

It was Hux who broke the hug, his hands sliding like silk over Kylo’s shoulders. When he smiled, Kylo’s breath was swept away, and he found himself at a loss for words as Hux broke from their embrace to take a seat at the bar.

“It’s good to see you,” he said in that quiet, shy way that Kylo had almost forgotten. Kylo too sat back at the bar, and grabbed his drink nervously.

“You too, I— does Anakin know you’re here?” It was the first thing he could think of.

Hux’s face grew dark for a second, like he was wondering why Kylo would ask that. But then he just shook his head, and looked down. “No.”

“Let me buy you a drink,” Kylo said as an apology, and Hux seemed to perk up at that.

“Umm, just whatever the house red is.”

“You can’t drink the house red when you’re with me,” Kylo teased.

“Well fine then,” Hux said, pulling over the wine list. “Choose something for me, Mr. Fancy pants.”

“Fine,” Kylo teased back, and he knew he was grinning like an idiot. But he took the menu anyways, and ordered something exorbitantly expensive. On his salary, he could afford it. Then he turned the conversation on Hux.

“So how have you been? It’s been, what? Ten years?”

“Yeah, just about. I’ve been, well, okay. I guess. Life, ya know?”

“Yeah,” Kylo nodded, and took a sip of his drink.

“But look at you,” Hux reached out and patted his knee once. It sent a thrill up his thigh. “You’re a fancy, big-city lawyer now, I heard.”

Kylo chuckled quietly as a glass of wine was placed in front of Hux. “You could say that, yeah.”

“Did you do that right out of college, or what?”

“I did, actually. Right form high school to college, then to law school. I’ve been working for the DA for a few years now.”

“Wow, you’re so… driven,” Hux said, taking a sip of his wine. Kylo watched the muscles in his jaw work, and wanted so desperately to trace them with his fingers. But Hux was wearing a collar, so he didn’t dare. He’d stay strong and follow Hux’s lead wherever that went.

“And what about you? Kids, a family?”

“No kids, nah. We just haven’t gotten around to it, I suppose…” the way he said it seemed off, and Kylo wondered about that. But he didn’t say anything further, and just nodded along.

“Can I ask you a question?” Kylo asked.

“You want to know what happened,” Hux preempted him, and Kylo nodded.

“Yes.”

“Maybe we can talk about it in the car?” Hux asked, before he pushed the wine away, and went to stand up.

“Yeah, okay, sure,” Kylo fumbled, and quickly pulled out his wallet. He left enough cash on the bar to cover both their drinks, before he walked Hux out. It was a quick elevator ride down to the valet, and they stood slightly awkwardly in silence as they waited or the car to be pulled around. It would be clear to anybody paying attention that Hux was claimed, though not by the alpha that stood by his side.

The valet came up quickly, and Kylo held the door open for Hux. Then he tipped the valet, and hopped in to the driver’s side door. The interior was black leather, and his phone blipped as it synced with the blue tooth. He pulled away from the curb, and caught Hux stroking the leather of the seat from the corner of his eye.

“You’ve done well for yourself,” he remarked.

“Yeah, I guess,” Kylo shrugged. It didn’t seem out of place for him to have a nice car. It wasn’t even one of the nicest ones he could have bought, since he’d opted for something more sensible.

“Do you remember that night before I left?” Hux asked, turning his attention slightly to Kylo. Kylo kept his hand on the shifter, bringing them in to third gear as they got on to the highway.

“How could I not?” he replied a bit breathlessly.

“Well, when I got home, my dad could smell you. I mean, how could he not?” Hux sighed, and Kylo felt that ache in his gut.

“They dragged me out of that house absolutely kicking and screaming. After that, they had me committed—”

“What?” Kylo gawked, glancing over at Hux who didn’t take his eyes off of Kylo.

“They had two witnesses, my dad and Anakin. They said I was insane, or hysterical, I’m not sure. And when I came out at the other end of that stay,” he sighed, and reached over to put a hand on Kylo’s leg, whose grip tightened on the steering wheel. “I wasn’t the same.”

“But you weren’t insane. I remember you, and I know for a fact that you were being abused.”

“Yeah,” Hux said, and looked a bit woefully out the window. “When I came out, Kylo, I wasn’t… the same. I don’t know how to say it. I was released to my dad, in to a foreign city, and the only thing that seemed to make sense was to get married.”

“So you’re really claimed?” Kylo asked, and Hux nodded silently. When he didn’t provide further information, Kylo continued to probe. “And no kids?”

“Don’t act so shocked,” he said, sliding his hand up further on Kylo’s thigh. But Kylo moved his leg away.

“Hux,” he warned, and Hux abruptly took his hand back.

“Sorry,” he said quietly, and Kylo hadn’t meant it to sting so much.

“So you don’t have any pups? Why?”

“Well,” Hux’s fingers twisted together in his lap. “At first we wanted them. But then, well, Anakin got in a lot of trouble, as I’m sure you know. It’s just never been the right time, I guess. And now we move around a lot, so there’s not a lot of stability if we did have kids.”

“You’ve had a hard time of things,” Kylo said, upset by what had happened to Hux. He glanced over, and could see the sadness in Hux just as he pulled off the highway, only a few minutes away from his apartment. Kylo wondered vaguely what the night time attendant would say to him, since he never brought anybody home.

But in the end, they simply exchanged a small hello, before Kylo whisked Hux in to the elevator. Once inside, Hux continued to look nervous and a bit guilty, and Kylo wondered if it was become of his surroundings.

“Everything’s so fancy,” Hux said, Kylo’s suspicion confirmed.

“To you, maybe. This is just normal to me though,” he said, eyeing Hux’s jaw.

“There’s not even ashtrays,” he remarked, and the doors opened on the sixth floor.

“It’s illegal to smoke inside,” Kylo noted, and walked towards his apartment. He could feel Hux hovering behind him, unsure of what would happen. It was clear Hux had an agenda, while Kylo only had one thing on his mind for the evening.

“So?” Hux teased as he followed behind.

“You’re just one to break the rules, aren’t you?” Kylo asked as he slid his key in to the lock. Behind him, Hux reached up and ran his palms down Kylo’s back.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Hux asked quietly, and Kylo pushed the door open a bit faster than he’d meant to. He tossed his keys in to the key dish and pulled Hux inside, before he pushed him up against the wall as the door closed.

They collided like waves against a harsh coastline and Hux’s scent rolled over Kylo like the tide. He was rough and unabashed as Hux wrapped him up in his arms, and Kylo pressed himself against Hux to effectively pin him to the wall.

Kylo’s passion was unfurled as he parted Hux’s lips and Kylo could almost taste him under the thin veil of burnt cigarettes. But Kylo didn’t care as he grinded in to Hux, arms wrapped tightly around his waist. In his mind, Kylo knew this was wrong and that his arousal was the only thing driving him forward.

In a moment of clarity, Kylo flipped Hux around, and pinned his hands against the wall. He crushed Hux against it, sniffing in to his neck as he shook at the anticipation of getting that collar off and claiming Hux as his own.

“Anakin’s going to hurt you for this,” Kylo whispered. In response, Hux tilted his head back and slightly in Kylo’s direction, and his gaze was lusty as he caught Kylo’s own dark eyes.

“I don’t care,” he said as he reached up, and unsnapped the back of the collar. Then he took it, and tossed it to the ground where it slid in to the corner near the door. With that, and being as good of a permission as he expected, Kylo pulled Hux away from the wall and pushed him towards the couch.

Hux fell backwards over the arm of it, and Kylo crawled after him, immediately stripping Hux of all his clothes. He was hurried, not because he was pressed for time, but because Kylo was so desperate to have Hux. He’d learned more than a few things since their escapades in high school, and he wanted to give Hux a night he’d never forget.

As soon as Hux was undressed, Kylo flipped him over. Hux landed on his hands and knees, and tossed his head back to get some of the hair out of his eyes. He looked back at Kylo as Kylo lowered his face, using one hand to spread open Hux’s perky ass. Then he dipped his head in to taste, tongue flicking against Hux. He was surprised at how well-groomed Hux was, especially because of the way he lived.

“You’re very naughty,” Hux crooned quietly, and Kylo lifted his head to press in a finger to Hux’s already wet hole, where he corkscrewed it pointedly.

“You have no idea,” Kylo said, and he landed a swift slap on Hux’s ass.

“Oww!” Hux jerked away, right off of Kylo’s finger, and he looked slightly betrayed. “I don’t like that,” Hux informed, and Kylo dragged Hux’s hips back towards his face, before he continued to lick at him though he didn’t try the slap again.

Picking up on the fact that Hux didn’t like the pain, Kylo took his time to lick at Hux as he undressed himself. First it was the cuffs of his shirt, then the rest, followed quickly by his pants. Hux arched his stomach down towards the couch and let one foot slip off it, though he used it to prop himself open a bit more.

“Do you like what you see?” he asked as he pulled the accent pillow over, and placed it under his chest so he’d have some extra cushion.

“You’re gorgeous,” Kylo muttered as he stumbled out of his pants, trying his best to keep his hands from shaking. He reached over from where he stood and swiped two fingers over Hux’s hole, eager to warm it more. Then he pushed back in two fingers, and Hux hissed quietly.

Kylo was the one who pulled away though, and he crossed the living room in two long strides. His cock led him forward since it stood out prominently, and the walk to the bedroom a bit painful. He quickly snatched the lube and a condom from his dresser drawer, before he went eagerly back in to the living room.

Hux crooned quietly as Kylo joined him on the couch, and wiggled his ass a bit as a temptation. Kylo didn’t spare any expense as he dribbled some of the lube on to Hux’s wanting hole, and scooped up some that dripped down his sack with a finger. Then he pressed that finger in to Hux’s depths, and Hux sighed, his eyelid fluttering shut.

“I can’t wait till you fuck me,” Hux whispered, and Kylo groaned in response. His cock twitched as he pumped a fingers in and out. Meanwhile, he opened the rubber with one hand and his teeth.

Upon hearing the ripping of the package, Hux’s eyes opened again and he pulled away slightly. Kylo wanted to chase him, but he could tell Hux pulled away for a reason, so he let him go. Hux perched himself on the arm of the couch, looking back over his shoulder at Kylo as he spoke. “I’m on the pill, you don’t have to use that.”

Kylo paused, and regarded Hux for a moment. He couldn’t be sure that Hux was telling the truth, and sincerely wasn’t sure whether to believe Hux or not. “That’s illegal,” he responded cooly.

“Do you really think I do much of anything that’s legal anymore, Kylo?” he retorted, and Kylo frowned. This sort of honesty made Kylo feel even sadder for Hux, and he second guessed himself about whether this was right or not.

But as if sensing his momentary hesitance, Hux scooted back on the couch so that his cleft was perfectly positioned to rub against the flat underside of Kylo’s cock. He tempted Kylo by doing this, and moaned as if he was already thrown in to lust. “I can’t wait for you to fuck me.”

Driven forward by those words, Kylo reached down to position his cock with a hand on the top of it, the condom discarded on the floor. He pressed in instantly and Hux collapsed in to the couch. The immediate response he gave was thrilling, and Kylo felt the pull to fulfill his own need, the omega below readily submitting to him.

Kylo leaned forward and threaded his fingers through Hux’s hair before he wrenched his head back, and pulled Hux up from the couch. Hux cried out with Kylo’s length slotting in to him, though as his hips settled against Kylo’s, he reached up over Kylo’s head to hold on to him. Then Kylo wrapped both arms around Hux’s torso, keeping his back to Kylo’s front, and he started to move in quick, sharp bursts as Hux hugged him in more than one way.

Kylo let his lips fall against Hux’s neck just above his collar bone, and he bit down. Hux let out a quiet yelp, but moved his arm so Kylo could have more room to mark him.

It felt strange, claiming an omega that already had an alpha. It wouldn’t be set in stone by any matter of the sense, that’s what marriage certificates were for. But this was, perhaps, the first step to being able to reclaim Hux as his own. In his emotionally charged state, and Hux clenching tight around him, Kylo knew the only thing he could do was take Hux back for himself.

He let Hux go after a few excruciatingly tantalizing moments, and Hux expertly caught himself on the couch. Then he let his shoulders slump in to the cushions as he lifted his hands to rest against the side of the armrest. Kylo grabbed Hux’s hips and pumped in to him, already panting as Hux whined and writhed, his breaths audibly uneven.

Kylo reached over to the side of the couch where Hux’s foot was still on the ground, and grabbed it by the ankle. He lifted it up only a few inches, which he knew would cause a sensation to shoot right up to Hux’s spine. In a glorious show of reaction, Hux sat straight up as he propped himself up on his hands

“Kylo!” he shouted, but Kylo’s palm landed hard and flat against the back of his neck.

“Down,” he growled, and Hux slowly obeyed, laying back down with a heady sigh. Kylo pinned him to the couch, proud of the amount of control he could exert over Hux, and how much Hux seemed to want it.

He watched as Hux’s eyes closed while his mouth hung open. As if his brain had stopped responding but his body was well aware of what to do, Hux’s hips began to press back against Kylo. Hux met Kylo at every turn and thrust, and his body shook as Kylo asserted dominance over him.

When Hux’s thighs began to twitch Kylo felt a sense of pride, especially because he hadn’t even touched Hux’s cock. But he was done with these games, so he pulled out, and Hux let out a desperate whine, his ankle staying elevated involuntarily as Kylo got off the couch.

“Come here,” Kylo muttered as he scooped Hux right up. Carrying him bridal style, Kylo took Hux in to the bedroom as Hux peppered his mouth in weak, shaky kisses. Kylo kissed him back steadily, and was happy with the amount of neediness dripping from Hux.

Gently, Kylo tossed Hux on to the bed, though he followed immediately. Kylo caught Hux’s lips as Hux lay back on the expensive accent pillows, and Kylo pulled his ankles up until they were over his shoulders. Then Kylo reached down, and slotted himself back in to Hux as he finally broke out in a sweat.

Hux tossed his arms over Kylo’s shoulders, and now Kylo knew it was time to claim his prize. He bit down on the same spot he’d marked before, this time solidifying his hold over Hux. And Hux let a shoulder droop a bit to allow Kylo the space to do this.

Kylo was unkind as he pummeled Hux, chasing his pleasure and reaching down to stroke Hux who was absolutely dripping in precum. “Let me breed you,” he growled as he sucked on Hux’s neck.

Hux’s moaned response was all he got as Hux trembled below him, open and unshielded from Kylo’s onslaught. Kylo smirked against his hot skin, openly slobbering and leaving his scent all over Hux as they fucked. “What?” he panted. “No smart retort?”

“Please,” Hux squeaked, and Kylo lifted his head to look at Hux. His face was flushed a deep red, and he looked desperate as his eyes roamed the ceiling in an unfocused manner. So Kylo cupped his cheek to draw his gaze, and the look of surprise on his face as they made eye contact made Kylo swell to an enormous size.

“Come for me,” Kylo muttered, before he captured Hux in a final kiss.

“Yes,” Hux squeaked over and over as Kylo led him through the paces. He didn’t stop squeaking until Kylo completely filled him and physically chased Hux all the way to the head of the bed, his knot almost not fitting as he inflated. Kylo moaned in to Hux’s gaping mouth as all the air seemed to leave Hux, and his eyes fluttered in a spasm as Kylo emptied out in to him.

Kylo had never seen an omega so enraptured by him before as he came, and he lowered his face to give Hux one last bite before he let himself tremble in his orgasm. It was prolonged and Kylo’s body continued to try pumping in and out even as he was captured in Hux’s embrace. He also felt the sticky white substance between them as Hux came, and clung tight to Hux.

It felt like Hux might break himself with how tight he squeezed Kylo. But in that moment, there was nowhere else Kylo would rather be. If somebody was going to break underneath him, he would be there to pick up the pieces. But in Hux’s arm, he broke too as they spiraled in to each other like stars.

* * *

They made plans to meet up the following afternoon. Kylo would meet Hux at the motel, and while Hux avoided the subject of Kylo sweeping him off his feet and rescuing him like a knight in shining armor, Kylo knew that was all but solidified.

He worried throughout the night, and had his secretary cancel a few appointments he had with clients in the morning. Kylo wouldn’t be able to focus while knowing that he’d let Hux go back to Anakin who would undoubtedly know what Hux had been up to, and with whom.

But as Kylo pulled in to the run down motel off 35th near the tracks, he started to feel a sense of worry. This was definitely a less savory part of town, but Kylo wasn’t afraid. He was a well-toned, capable alpha who could hold his own in a fight, or at least tell somebody that he didn’t have change for the payphone.

He pulled up and meant to park at the far end of the parking lot. But as he drove up, he could see two figures that looked like Hux and Anakin, and they were hovering around a motorcycle with helmets on.

Kylo parked his car three spaces down, before he got out of the car. “Hux?” he asked, as he realized that it looked like Hux was about to leave on the back of the bike.

“Come on babe,” Anakin said as he started the motor, and Hux picked up a bag that he slung over his shoulder.

“Kylo, I’m sorry,” Hux said as he got on the back of the bike, and Kylo nearly ran over. “It was fun but… Anakin’s my mate.”

“I thought— I mean, jeezus Hux. Look at what I’m offering you! What has he ever done for you except leave you alone and burden you with a severe nicotine addiction?”

“It’s not that easy—”

“Yes it  _is_  that easy. I’m a lawyer, I can help you with the divorce.”

“Divorce?” Anakin asked, though he didn’t really seem concerned. After all, he shouldn’t be. Because Hux was on the back of his bike, not in Kylo’s car, and it was clear by the way he wrapped his arms around Anakin’s waist to get him to leave so they could avoid this confrontation that Hux wasn’t going to stay.

“I’m sorry, Kylo,” he said, before Hux nuzzled his face in to the shoulder of Anakin’s leather jacket.

Anakin revved the engine a bit, before they took off slowly out of the parking lot. Kylo stood dumbfounded and heartbroken as he turned to watch them drive off. Not only was Anakin going to miss his hearing, but he’d officially won Hux, twice. Kylo stared in disbelief, a panic welling up in him that the omega he rightly had a claim to was once again disappearing right before his eyes.

Kylo blinked away tears of fear for what had just happened, body feeling suddenly light and like he couldn’t catch his breath. As he went to his car to sit down, and to assess how easily Hux had been able to leave like that, the sign above the motel began to flicker, before the buzzing of its incandescent lighting intensified. Then it went out altogether, and a few people could be heard shouting from the motel rooms before a few of them popped their heads out of their rooms.

Kylo looked up, and saw a few of them storming towards the main office, while the office manager came out to explain to them what happened. As Kylo’s life and all the plans he’d been secretly making for himself and Hux began to fall apart, so did the rest of the world. In an attempt to get away from the growing crowd arguing with the office manager, Kylo put his keys in to the ignition of his car. But just like the billboard overhead, and the televisions, and mini-refrigerators of the motel, his car wouldn’t start.


	10. Part 2

The world had fallen in to chaos. Nobody knew what happened, but after months of no power, people lost hope. War broke out between men, and in the chaos, omegas were snatched up and forcefully mated. Or at least, most of them were.

The alphas that were left without a mate were left to face the prospect of dying alone. Small factions banded together and grew, though slowly the world grew quiet with the meager survivors that had managed to somehow carve out a life for themselves in the post-electricity world.

One such omega had managed to survive by running off in to the woods. Caleb knew how to live off the land because he’d learned it in boy scouts, and his father had taken him camping many times. So far, his life had remained undisturbed and body untouched until one fateful day when a passing alpha caught his scent on the wind.

Caleb had retreated when he saw the alpha running towards him, but it was no use going back to his encampment. It had everything Caleb needed, including a covered shelter with bedding and a tarp overhead. There was even a small circle of stones to create a barrier for a fire when it got cold. But as he ran from the alpha, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get away whether he ran back to his shelter or not.

“No!” He screamed as the alpha tackled him. It wasn’t that Caleb didn’t want to be mated. In fact he’d like very much to have a nest, and a pup to nurture and cherish. But as this alpha rolled Caleb on to his back, he knew that this would be painful, and most likely not result in a pregnancy.

“Don’t touch me!” He screamed, but the alpha pinned his wrists together easily. Despite living an existence that was very physically demanding, Caleb’s strength was no match against this alpha whose physical prowess was inherently more robust than his own.

The alpha laid most of his weight on Caleb as he pinned Caleb’s hands above his head, while his other hand roamed down Caleb’s chest. He tugged down Caleb’s pants, his anatomy exposed to the warm early afternoon air. Caleb cried out as he struggled, but he couldn’t get away. He was trapped, and this alpha was going to have his way with Caleb whether Caleb wanted it or not.

“Get back,” he suddenly heard a growl, and looked up as his eyes were drawn to a tall figure who stood a few feet away.

The alpha above Caleb heard the growl too, and looked over. Caleb let out a cry and his heart broke at the sight of the man. It wasn’t a savior like he’d hoped in a moment of sheer panic. It was  _another_ alpha. Caleb knew that if they physically fought for him, he could get seriously hurt. That was when Caleb began to openly cry and his body started to shake uncontrollably.

The alpha above him growled back, though he roughly let go of Caleb as he stood up. Though in a move to claim Caleb, he kept one foot on either side of Caleb’s collapsed form.

“Step back,” the new alpha said, and Caleb could see through tears that he had a rifle. Caleb wished more than anything that he could get up and run. But he also knew his place in the world. He’d now be captured, and only one alpha would prevail to claim him.

The first alpha did stepped back as instructed and he raised his hands. “Just wait a minute—”

The gunshot made Caleb scream and roll over, his body tightening in to a ball with his hands clamped over his ears. The sound echoed as the first alpha fell with a bullet hole right between his eyes.

Stunned for a few seconds, Caleb finally unfurled himself to look around. The new alpha knelt down next to him, eyes scanning over Caleb as he lay slightly scuffed up, and frightened beyond belief. His gaze was intense but warm, and he could almost see the gears turning behind the alpha’s eyes that were blue like the sky.

The alpha gave him enough room to sit up, so he did so slowly, not sure what he was expected to do. For a few silent seconds as they sat face to face, neither of them said anything.

“You know what I have to do,” the alpha finally said as he spoke up.

“Yes,” Caleb sniffled and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

“Sit up against that tree,” the alpha instructed, before he got up to grab the backpack he’d dropped a few feet away.

Caleb scooted back after he pulled his pants back up, still quietly crying though he tried to stop. He didn’t want mate while crying, not only because that would be an embarrassing story to tell their pups, but also because he knew it would make this situation even more awkward.

A few moments later, he was joined by the alpha who dropped the bag next to them. He slowly set down the rifle in the leaves that had fallen from the tree above, before the alpha seemed to hesitate. Then he knelt down with a knee on either side of Caleb, and he leaned in to gently sniff at Caleb’s neck.

“I’m Paterson,” he said in Caleb's ear, and his voice was just as warm as his eyes.

“C-Caleb,” he stuttered as he finally managed to gulp down the rest of the tears that made his throat feel sticky. Paterson reached down and unzipped his pants, and Caleb waited for some sort of instruction. After giving himself a few strokes, Paterson reached in to the bag and pulled out... was that lube?

Caleb glanced from the bottle to Paterson, then back to the bottle. Had this alpha just been  _carrying around_  random bottles of lube? Caleb bit back a sound of disgust and wondered just what kind of man he was about to be claimed by.

Paterson used a conservative amount of the viscous liquid on his length before he closed the cap, and put the bottle back in the bag. Then he began to stroke, and put his other hand on the back of Caleb’s neck to keep his attention focused.

Paterson pressed his forehead to Caleb’s, and Caleb tried to hold his breath as long as he could. He didn’t want to help this alpha mark him, if he could help it. He wanted to fall in love and have a family, not be dragged out of the woods in a dirty set of clothes and unbathed for days now. This all felt wrong, and he closed his eyes tight a Paterson stroked one out on him.

Paterson dipped his head at one point, and let his hand fall as he breathed against Caleb’s throat. He groaned once, and his spare hand fumbled with the hem of Caleb’s shirt.

“Hold it up,” he instructed through a strained voice. Obediently, Caleb pulled his shirt up to expose the pale swath of his stomach. Seconds later, a warm stain made him flinch as Paterson came on his stomach, and Caleb knew some would get on his pants as well.

The alpha was silent except for uneven breaths as he claimed Caleb, and it all felt a bit awkward even as the motion of his hand slowed. When he was done, Paterson sat up a bit straighter and raised his head to give Caleb space as he regained his senses.

Without more than a moment of rest, Paterson reached in to his back pocket and pulled out a red handkerchief. He wiped his hand with it first, so that the scent of himself could seep in to Caleb’s skin.

Then he wiped up, and looked almost like he was afraid to make eye contact with Caleb. When Paterson folded up the handkerchief, Caleb made a note of how clean it looked. Caleb felt the pull to follow as Paterson got to his feet. Unwillingly, Caleb got to his feet. Wherever this alpha was, Caleb would follow, but whether that was to somewhere safer than the shelter he’d called home for so long now was doubtful.

“I have shelter,” Paterson cleared his throat and turned his back to Caleb as he tucked himself back in to his pants. “It’s a bit of a walk. But we can make it before dark.”

“Okay,” Caleb brushed off the back of his pants from leaves, and felt a bit violated by this whole process. After all, wasn’t the alpha supposed to mate with him, not just mark him? It was a whole process he’d read about on the internet and heard from friends, but this didn’t seem like how it was supposed to go.

The alpha shouldered his backpack, and Caleb opened his mouth to offer to take it. Then he shut his mouth, since he realized that if the alpha didn’t want to use him as a mule, then he wouldn’t offer himself as such

“Do you need to grab some stuff from your… shelter?” Paterson asked as he finally turned around.

“Yeah. It’s just a few things. Um, my camps nearby.” He wanted to confess in this alpha that his choice to run back to shelter was stupid, but he didn’t want that to be the first impression Paterson had of him. After all, he probably already thought Caleb was weak for being caught, so he tried not to dig a deeper hole for his reputation.

Caleb’s camp was simple, most of his personal items under the shelter that served as his bed and living room. He snatched up some personal items, a sketchbook and pen that had only recently stopped working. He grabbed a box of personal trinkets and photos of his parents, and a blanket he could keep himself warm with as one of the last things that smelled uniquely like him.

Then he shouldered the military bag he’d found, and nodded to Paterson who’d waited patiently just inside the boundary of Caleb’s makeshift home. Then they turned to leave, and Caleb obediently followed behind Paterson as they made their way out of the woods.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning was strange for Caleb. He stayed in bed, thinking about what the day would hold, while Gregory and Thomas went out to pick squash for breakfast. They cooked it up quietly in the fireplace, since Paterson was now asleep, having dozed off some time right before sunrise.

From what Caleb could tell, this was his normal routine. However, when the squash was ready and brought to the table in the kitchen, Thomas went to gently wake Paterson for breakfast. They ate together at the table while Paterson quietly yawned, his presence resoundingly silent.

In the light that came in from the slats of wood on the windows, Caleb could see that Paterson looked surprisingly young. Out in the woods he’d seemed older with a fierce desire to protect and overcome. But now, in his early morning state, he seemed reserved and not at all like the person who’d rescued Caleb.

After breakfast though, Paterson went out in to the garden. He was in the digging up rows for some extra strawberries so they’d have more to can for the winter, and wandered out in to the garden without a shirt. Once outside, the back door was firmly locked, in the case of an unexpected alpha jumping over the fence.

Indoors, Thomas busily knitted a blanket from a slowly diminishing basket of yarn, while Gregory sat on the couch and read a book. Caleb browsed the book shelf, but was more curious about their life than reading something to entertain himself.

“So is this usually what you do? Just kind of, sit around, think, read and all that?”

“Basically,” Thomas said as his needles clacked quietly.

“I mean, what else are we supposed to do? It’s the apocalypse, after all,” Gregory said, before he and Thomas broke out in to laughter. Caleb couldn’t help but smile at that, and was glad there were other people who realized what their situation must look like from an outsider.

“So where’d he find you?” Thomas asked as he looked up from his needlework.

“Uh, in the woods. He saved me, I guess you could say,” Caleb shrugged as he turned to take a seat at the table against the wall that played host to a single lonely radio. He considered messing with the dials, but since he still felt like a guest here, he didn’t want to mess anything up. So instead, Caleb spread his hands out over the worn wood, and wondered who used to live in this house.

Caleb caught the knowing look that Thomas and Gregory exchanged, so he spoke up. “What?”

“Nothing,” Gregory said as his eyes went back to the book he was uninterested in.

“It’s just that,” Thomas spoke up. “He found us in the woods too. And saved us, too.”

Caleb nodded slowly and wondered if it was the same situation he’d been caught in. But he assumed it was, so he let the subject go. “He’s a bit odd, don’t you think?”

“So you’ve noticed,” Thomas said with a small smile, though his eyes were now back on the blanket in his hands.

“Yeah. What is it?”

“We’ve talked about that before, and we’re not really sure. I think he’s just shy, ya know?”

“Shy?” Caleb questioned, and sat back, a bit stunned. “I’ve never heard of a shy alpha before.”

“Yeah, us either. But he’s proof that they exist.”

“Huh,” Caleb said, and thought about it. He supposed there were outgoing omegas, so it made sense that there might be shy alpha’s out there too.

Sometime in the late afternoon, Caleb gravitated towards the back door. He peeked out through the slats of the wood that were nailed over the window in it, and watched as Paterson wiped sweat from his brow. He was hunched over the dirt, sweat dripping down his bare chest and arm dotted with moisture.

Paterson seemed to decide that he was done for the day as he paused and squinted up in to the sun like he was trying to gauge the time. Then he stood up and clapped his gloved hands together a few times to get off the dirt. Then he picked up the tools he’d taken out to use, and went around the house, and out of sight.

A few seconds later, Paterson stomped up the few steps to the porch, and Caleb could see his chest raising and falling with exertion. He undid his boots and took off his pants before Paterson went to stand under the bucket of water that had all day to warm. Then he grabbed the hose from it, and began to wash off the day’s dirt.

Caleb inhaled deep like he could get the scent of Paterson on his tongue, after a long day toiling in the soil. Paterson turned to rinse off his face, which gave Caleb a full view of his front. He hadn’t paid any attention to Paterson’s bare area the day before, but now when he saw those hardened abs, Caleb couldn’t help but follow them to their natural destination.

Just as Caleb was ogling his alpha, Paterson seemed to notice. He paused for a second as his eyes wandered to the door that Caleb hid behind. Even though he was sure Paterson couldn’t see him in the house that had a permanently dusk-like lighting, Caleb took a quick step back.

“He’s cute, isn’t he?” Thomas said from the archway that led to the kitchen.

“He’s—” _A masterpiece_ , Caleb wanted to say. “Cute is one word for it.”

“Kind of adds to that strong, silent type that he’s got going on, right?”

“Right.” Caleb agreed, and he stepped back up to the door to watch the rest of the show.

* * *

When he came in for the day, Paterson dropped off a wicker basket of freshly picked vegetables for the omegas to cook. Then he made himself comfortable on the couch that served for his bed, and settled down for a nap.

After a tasty dinner served on the large kale leaf plates, they all sat around in the living room. Caleb had picked up enough about Thomas and Gregory that he felt comfortable to strike up a conversation.

“Let’s play a game,” he suggested, comfortable as he sat cross legged on the couch.

“Sure, what game?” Thomas asked, seated across from Paterson at the table that had the radio on it.

“We could each go around and say something interesting about ourselves?” Gregory suggested as he put his book down.

“That’s not a game,” Paterson assessed, though he didn’t shoot down the idea.

“Well, what do you suggest?” Thomas asked, and smoothed a foot over Paterson’s under the table. Despite not sleeping in the nest with the omegas, Paterson didn’t pull his foot away.

“If you want, we can play that. But since you brought it up, you go first,” Paterson said as he set his eyes on Gregory.

Gregory sat up a bit more as a smile crossed his face, and he nodded eagerly. “Okay. Well, back before the apocalypse, I was the regional chess champion for my high school.”

“I knew you were going to say that,” Thomas teased.

“Really?” Caleb gawked. He’d never met anybody who was even remotely good at chess.

“Yeah! I got a big trophy and everything. Okay now you,” Thomas said, motioning towards Caleb.

“Okay. Well... back before the apocalypse... hmm, let’s see. Back before the apocalypse, I was getting my degree in Biology.”

“Really?” They all said in unison as they looked at him.

“I mean, it was my first semester. But yeah, I want to work on genes and stuff.”

“That’s so cool! Okay me next. Back before the apocalypse—”

“When did this become a ‘back before the apocalypse’ game?” Paterson asked, but there was a small, restrained smile on his face.

“Hey, shhh, my turn,” Gregory said and Caleb flinched at him shushed their alpha, but Paterson didn’t seem bothered by it at all.

“As I was saying, back before the apocalypse, I went skydiving—”

“Without me,” Thomas interjected, but Gregory just stuck his tongue out at him.

“That must have been amazing!” Caleb said.

“It was. It was great. Okay Paterson, now you.”

They all turned to look at Paterson, and his smile faltered a bit as he let his gaze fall back to the radio on the table. He hummed quietly, thinking as he ran a hand through his hair, and positioned some of it off to the side. “Back before the apocalypse, I was a caretaker for a property with a museum.”

“What?!” Gregory gasped and he instantly turned to look at Thomas.

“I knew it!” Thomas declared with laughter, and Gregory promptly threw his book across the room in Thomas’s direction.

“I knew you were a gardener—”

“I wasn’t technically a gardener—” Paterson managed to say.

“I personally thought you were some sort of body builder or something,” Thomas cut him off as he picked up the book Gregory had failed to throw at him.

“Well, I was that too,” Paterson confessed.

“Really?” Caleb asked.

“Yeah. In my spare time, I guess.” Paterson shrugged one shoulder, and all three omegas exchanged a look of admiration. Caleb realized there was actually a lot that the other two didn’t know about Paterson, despite seeming to have a good relationship with him.

“Wait,” Paterson asked as he looked from Thomas at the table, to Gregory on the couch. “Have you two been... gossiping about me?”

“Maybe,” Gregory teased, to which Paterson laughed, and it sounded like music to Caleb’s ears. It was one quick, deep chuckle and Caleb wanted to hear it again. His attention honed in on Paterson, but the laugh was short lived as he slowly took his foot away from

Shortly after that, they all turned in for the night. Caleb once again settling in between Gregory and Thomas, and tonight he felt the lull of sleep more than the night before. He knew it was because his hormones were mixing with Thomas and Gregory, and that soon he’d been a comfortable addition to their simple household.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him smile,” Thomas whispered as he snuggled in, though still left a little bit of space between himself and Caleb.

“Me too,” Gregory said back, his body facing away from Caleb.

“His laugh,” Caleb said dreamily as it still rang in his ears. And that smile, it had looked like Paterson was genuinely happy.

“I know, right?” Thomas asked, and it was clear to Caleb that the twins had both been through what Caleb was currently experiencing, and it was exhilarating.


	12. Chapter 12

Several days after Caleb arrived, there was a break in the routine. Instead of going out and working the soil, Paterson laced up his boots and pulled on his jacket, topped by his backpack which was now empty.

All three omegas attended to him at the door and tried to convince him not to leave. “We don’t need any supplies,” Thomas argued gently. So far, it’d become evident that Thomas was the most outspoken and defiant of them all. But despite that, he still always did what Paterson asked, even though what he asked wasn’t much.

“Yes, we do,” Paterson insisted as he moved closer to the door, the omegas ineffectively blocking his path.

“What then? What could possibly be so important—”

“Stop asking me that,” Paterson said, uncharacteristically cutting off the omega. “I’m going out. End of discussion.”

Caleb cowered a bit, and chose to hide behind the archway that led to the bedroom. He simply peeked around the wall, frightened of Paterson’s growing temper despite the fact that he was still speaking calmly, and clearly. He was terrified of how Paterson might react when provoked since he normally seemed to keep such a tight lid on his emotions.

Subconsciously, Caleb could feel the unease in Paterson. Something about going outside made him upset, despite the fact that they had literally everything they needed.

“Well, at least tell us when you’ll be back?” Gregory asked, shoulder to shoulder with Thomas.

“I don’t know,” Paterson huffed, and turned to the door. “I might not even be back tonight.”

“What?” All three of them gawked, and it caused Paterson to pause with his hand on the door knob.

“You can’t just—”

“—Leave us here.”

“What if something happens?”

“I don’t know!” Paterson shouted, finally raising his voice and it made Gregory and Thomas step back. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. I don’t know what’ll happen if something happens to you. Or me. I just... I have to go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Then he swung the door open and blinked in to the overcast light. “And lock the door behind me.”

* * *

The day was spent in quiet worry as each omega took up a spot near one of the boarded up windows. At some point, Thomas pondered out loud about going in to the garden to get them some food for dinner. But then he didn’t do anything about it, since the prospect of going outside unguarded was too daunting to make him move. Silently, they all watched the empty street outside for any signs of Paterson.

So far, Paterson was a mystery. He was a groundskeeper in a previous life and a bit odd, though unfailingly kind. He was an alpha who’d only raised his voice once, and even then, it’d been with his back to his omegas.

And why did he need three omegas anyways? That’s what Caleb found most odd. Sure, he’d found Caleb in the most dire of situations, but Paterson didn’t  _have_  to claim him. He could have just left him because Caleb would have been fine on his own. But most especially because Paterson already had two omegas waiting for him at home.

Caleb glanced at Thomas and Gregory in their respective spots, and saw the worry on their faces too. If Paterson didn’t come back, he wasn’t sure what they would all do. After finally finding shelter where he felt truly safe, Caleb dreaded the thought of going back out into the wilderness on his own again.

It was almost too dark before Paterson came back, the jacket he’d worn shed and tossed over his shoulder, and the empty backpack that he’d shouldered looked heavy.

The omegas huddled together by the door as they waited for Paterson to knock. When he inevitably announced his arrival, they opened the door quickly and he was ushered in. The omegas gave him some space as the door was closed and the locks turned.

Paterson looked sweaty and a bit tired as he pushed past them towards the bedroom, where he sat down on his bed and set the backpack down on the ground. The three others crowded around as they exchanged worried glances, though nobody could think of anything to say. It was when Paterson sighed heavily and pulled open the backpack that he spoke up.

“For you,” he said to Gregory as he pulled out a thick box and handed it over. As Gregory took it, his jaw dropped at the reveal of the shiny cover of a plastic-wrapped chess board box.

“And, I didn’t know what yarn you wanted, but I found a stash so, it’s all in there,” Paterson motioned to the bag for Thomas before he reached in and pulled out a few books. “I also got some, uh, knitting books? I didn’t know what you wanted so I snagged a few.” He handed them over to a dumbfounded Thomas, whose jaw had also dropped.

“And, I know we don’t know each other very well. But I saw what you grabbed from your camp. And I...” he trailed of, and the last gift that Paterson pulled out from the backpack was an empty notebook, and a pack of pens of varying tip size. He handed the items to Caleb like an offering, and didn’t look up at the three omegas that surrounded him as he doled out the gifts.

Caleb gasped as he took the items. It felt like forever since the last time he’d had a working pen, and the gift suddenly meant everything to him. Caleb glanced from Thomas to Gregory and saw that each of them looked just as stunned and confused.

In a motion that Caleb knew he should have thought twice about, he threw his arms around Paterson’s shoulders and hugged him tight. Paterson tensed, but as Caleb squeezed him and whispered a quiet, “Thank you,” Paterson let his head fall in to the crook of Caleb’s neck where he quietly inhaled.

This was followed shortly by Gregory and Thomas, who fell to their knees on either side of Caleb so they could hug Paterson around the torso. Paterson let Caleb go, only to encompass the twins in his arms, and it was clear by this sudden affection that Paterson really had been worried that he might not come back to their shelter.

They remained touching each other for longer than anyone could keep track as each omega gently smeared their scent on the alpha who was so quietly commanding of them. When their pile broke up, each had to take a moment to wipe tears from their eyes.

* * *

They’d gone through two rounds of chess, and Gregory still refused to win against Paterson. Paterson seemed to know that Gregory refused to pull the final move to check his queen, but he still played to the best of his abilities. He got close to losing many times, but then Gregory would pull a rookie move so Paterson teased him about it.

“You keep letting me win,” he stated.

“I  _do not_ ,” Gregory giggled.

“Yes you do,” Paterson said as a small smile cracked on his face while he pondered his next move.

Caleb lounged on the couch next to Thomas as he sketched Paterson’s face tentatively. He was out of practice and only had pens to work with, but if he took his time, the portrait might not be too terrible.

Quietly, Thomas leaned over to Caleb, who paused for a moment to listen to what he had to say. “We should invite Paterson in to the nest tonight.”

Caleb turned to look at him with a bit of surprise. “He’s never…?”

“Nope,” Thomas confirmed. Caleb was stunned at the thought that this alpha had never joined his omegas in their bed. Had he really never touched either of the twins? Caleb stared at Thomas, trying to process this information.

“I mean,” Thomas shifted as he put the book in his hands down. “Why not? After what he did for us?”

Caleb turned to look at Paterson and Gregory, who quietly chatted as they reset the board. “Do you think Gregory will be okay with it?” he whispered back.

“I already talked to him about it, and he said it was a good idea,” Thomas nodded.

“A good idea, yeah. Let’s… let’s do it,” Caleb agreed.

“Yeah?” Thomas asked for confirmation, and he sounded a bit surprised.

“Sure!” Caleb said excitedly, and something deep down told him that this was the right thing to do.

“What are you two whispering about over there?” Paterson inquired, though they only answered with a giggle.

That night when they got under the blankets, Caleb sandwiched himself between the twins. As for Paterson, he went to his bed. He’d already unlaced his boots when he’d come in the door, so he turned to reposition the pillow that he lounged on.

Then he leaned back with the shotgun once again across his thighs, and he peeked out the gap in the wood that obscured them from the rest of the world.

“Paterson?” Thomas said as he sat up. Both Gregory and Caleb took the cue to prop themselves up on their elbows so that Paterson could see them, and so that they could see his reaction. Paterson looked over, alerted, but silent.

“Why don’t you join us?” Thomas asked gently without a smile or a giggle, but with all the seriousness of a tentative omega. Paterson looked each one over in turn as if to gauge the sincerity in their eyes. Then, almost to their surprise, Paterson nodded his head once, before he swung his legs over the side of the couch.

“Okay,” he said, and Caleb could see the gears turning in his head like he was trying to figure out if this was really the right thing to do, or if he was pushing the boundaries he kept so well.

But then Paterson stood up, and he hovered over the couch with the rifle for a second, before he put the safety on, and set it down. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt for a moment like he couldn’t decide if he should take it off, but then chose to keep it on.

Over at the jumble of blankets, Caleb and Thomas made a spot for him. Gregory laid on Caleb’s other side, and scooted to make extra room. With a fourth body, there was  _almost_  not enough blanket to cover them, but nobody said anything about it.

Paterson slid under the covers easily, and nobody spoke as they pulled the blankets up to their chins. Caleb rolled over so his back was to Paterson’s front, and Thomas lay facing Caleb. Behind Paterson, Gregory curled up with his front to Paterson’s back, each omega effectively encasing him in a shell of warm bodies.

Behind him, Caleb felt Paterson nuzzle in to the back of his neck, before an arm slipped under the pillows that he and Thomas shared. Paterson put his other hand up on Caleb’s hip as he got in to a comfortable cuddling position, and slowly his breaths steadied.

Caleb felt the haze now that he’d never felt. With his alpha snuggled so close, Caleb felt the pull of sleep come easily to his mind. So he signed, and tangled his arms with Thomas, and was asleep within seconds.


	13. Chapter 13

“Paterson,” was said on a whisper, as Caleb tried to wake him. It was the third time he said it, before finally Paterson seemed to hear his name.

“Hmm?” he grumbled, eyebrows raising though eyes not opening.

“It’s time to wake up,” Caleb whispered. On either side, he could feel the twins shifting in to wakefulness too. Though in all honesty, Caleb had only been awake for a minute or two.

Paterson inhaled deep as his hips moved decidedly back, a morning bulge present after a full night’s sleep. Caleb felt the emptiness where it had been pressed against his thigh, since he’d rolled over to face Paterson at some time in the middle of the night. When Paterson opened his eyes, Caleb was excited that he was the first thing Paterson would see.

“’Morning,” he grumbled, and Caleb leaned in. He nuzzled his nose against Paterson’s, unable to stop himself. Paterson inhaled sharp in surprise, but didn’t pull away. Then Caleb leaned in and kissed him as softly as he could. Paterson groaned, an instant reaction to the intimacy, and under the blankets, Caleb guided Paterson thumb gently over his own bare hip.

At his prompting, Paterson immediately pulled Caleb against his chest. Tangled legs revealed Paterson’s length and he encompassed Caleb completely in both arms.

Caleb reached up and carted a hand through Paterson’s thick hair, and he inhaled deeply at the scent of the alpha that was now in their sheets. He reveled in the attention, hiking a leg up between Paterson’s thighs to brush against his bulge.

Abruptly, though he left barely an inch of space between them, Paterson broke from the kiss to glance over at Thomas who was behind Caleb. For those few brief moments, Caleb had almost completely forgotten about the two other omegas in the bed.

In response, Thomas scooted back to give them more room, their entanglement taking up less space than the previous night. “It’s fine with me,” he said with a soft shrug of his shoulder. That was when Caleb realized that this was all part of the plan. If the three of them could get Paterson into bed, they could get him to be intimate, especially with the heady mixture of sleepy omega and hormones that had seeped in to the thread count overnight.

“And me,” said Gregory which caused Paterson to look up above them at the wall momentarily as he listened. Then he looked back, and Caleb nodded in agreement.

“I’m fine with it, if you’re fine with it,” Caleb whispered, and leaned in to close the gap between them. Paterson groaned in to his mouth at the acquiescence before he rolled over completely on to Caleb.

He used an elbow to prop himself up, which meant only half of his weight was on the tiny omega. Paterson reached up to cup Caleb’s cheek as they kissed, and he slowly ground his groin in to Caleb.

Paterson’s mouth was undemanding and warm, and Caleb felt exquisite at getting all the attention of the only alpha in the room. Then Caleb reached up and wrapped his arms around Paterson’s shoulders, excited at the day’s prospect. He began to spread his legs, and was surprised with how Paterson’s knees nudged them a bit wider. The way he did it was commanding and a bit forceful, and in that moment, Caleb was willing to do anything Paterson asked him to do.

With a jerk, Paterson suddenly sat up. The three omega’s shivered, Thomas and Gregory retreating farther down as the cold air breached their blanket sanctuary. Paterson looked behind them, eyes fixated on something outside of the room. Below him, Caleb’s hands lingered somewhere near his hips, though he wasn’t sure what he should be doing.

“What…?”Caleb asked, and left the question open ended because he was so surprised by Paterson’s suddenly divided attention.

“Someone’s here,” Paterson whispered, though he remained frozen on the spot.

“What do you mean someone’s here?” Caleb asked, feeling the chill on his bare skin.

“Someone’s broken in,” said Paterson, and in an instant he was up and out of the bed.

All three omegas began to sit up, and without Paterson to fill the space between them, it felt like miles of open, empty blanket. They watched as Paterson crossed the room silently, before he stopped at the door frame. He looked down the hall towards the bathroom, and then they all heard a noise like someone had knocked on the wall.

Paterson walked back to the fainting couch and rifled around under the pillow on the couch, before he revealed a pocket knife that was hidden in its depths. Caleb was alarmed, since he realized he’d had no idea that Paterson might have weapons hidden around the house.

Abruptly Paterson moved out of the room and down the hallway, though he held out a flat palm in the omega’s direction to tell them to stay. He paced down the hall silently, and Caleb realized that maybe  _this_  is what made him an alpha. He seemed to have a steely ability to hunt prey, and win a fight, which he’d already proved once to Caleb.

They all remained in the bed as they listened, though Caleb’s attention was torn from his concentration as Gregory handed him something. At first, it looked like another blanket, but as he looked it over, Caleb realized it was a sheer robe. He looked up, and Gregory whispered, “Put it on.”

Then he handed one across Caleb to Thomas, who took it in a split second and slipped it on. “We brought these with us, in our suitcase. Never thought we’d use them though.”

Caleb wondered how appropriate it was to wear a see-through robe around a stranger, but then again, he figured it was better than running around naked. So he put the garment on that had a floral pattern, and tied it with a double knotted bow.

Just as he finished the knot, there was the sound of scuffling from down the hall. Each omega jumped up from the bed, and went to the archway that led to the hall to look at the commotion.

Barreling down the hall, Paterson struggled with another alpha who looked very thin and unkempt. Paterson pulled the guy down the hall and shoved him in to one of the walls, before he smashed his face in to it. But the guy slipped out from under his grasp and tackled Paterson. When he landed on top of Paterson, he was able to land several blows to Paterson’s face as Paterson tried to grapple with his hands.

In a tactical move, Paterson rolled over and trapped the guy in an expert headlock. “Door!” he shouted. “Get the door!”

Gregory sprang in to action, and ran to the door to unlock it. Each deadbolt was done as quickly as his nimble fingers could go, before he flung the door wide open. Caleb gasped, expecting a whole hoard of other alpha’s to be waiting outside. But it was mercifully empty out on the street as the omegas backed away to let Paterson pull the guy out of the house.

Paterson dragged him out, but the guy tripped him, and they tumbled down the front steps together. Paterson landed wrong and hissed as he fell right on to his back. The guy got up though, and immediately delivered several painful kicks to Paterson’s gut.

Inside, the omegas stared in horror as Paterson was kicked and his face stomped on. He curled up in to a tight ball as they guy landed blow after blow, and the omegas were unable to do anything to stop it. If this guy won the fight, he’d be their new alpha. It was a prospect Caleb dreaded, because he realized now that Paterson was nearly perfect in every conceivable way. This alpha looked half crazed and starved out of his mind, and Caleb didn’t want him laying those filthy hands anywhere on his body.

When the beating stop, the alpha circled Paterson and spat on him. But as he circled, Paterson reached out and grabbed his foot, and knocked him off balance.

In a split second, Paterson was on the guy and he pulled out the pocket knife that he’d strategically saved for this very moment. It plunged immediately in to the guy’s throat, and Paterson left it lodged there as he grabbed the guy by the back of his jacket. As Paterson stumbled to his feet, he dragged the guy towards the road. The alpha gagged and scratched at his throat where the pocket knife was sheathed.

Then Paterson let the guy drop on the asphalt, before he pulled the knife out, and blood spurted straight up. Paterson shielded himself and rose triumphant as the guy began to make sick gurgling sounds. He twitched violently as he bled out, and Paterson stood to watch, his eyes intent on watching the man bleed to death to secure the safety of his omegas.

Paterson’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he stood over the alpha’s body and tried to catch his breath. So far, Caleb had seen Paterson kill two alphas for him, so he was both impressed and terrified.

Putting away the pocket knife first, Paterson then grabbed the guy by the back of his jacket once more. Then he dragged the guy away from the house, headed towards the empty field on the other side of the road. He disappeared in to the field of tall grass as it sloped down, and a bloody trail was left in their wake.

Gregory made the decision to close the door, though he didn’t lock it as they peered out through a slit in the wood to watch for Paterson’s return. Several fearful minutes passed by until finally Paterson emerged from the field. He limped forward and looked weak, his body wavering as his bare feet his asphalt. But he was alone, and alive.

With a slow stumble, Paterson made his way to the house. He paused once inside the front gate, and when he went to take a further step, he completely collapsed. Where he fell, Paterson didn’t get up, and the three omegas looked back and forth at each other as they tried to figure out what to do.

“I’ll get this feet,” Thomas said as he made their decision, and he nudged Gregory on the shoulder.

“I’ll get his arms,” Gregory agreed, and they opened the door to run to Paterson. They ran out, each glancing in either direction in case there might be someone else around. But the street was empty as they rolled Paterson over onto his back. Gregory scooped Paterson up under his arms, while Thomas grabbed him under the backs of his knees. Together, they carried the wounded alpha back in to the house, and Caleb made sure to lock every single bolt on the door once they were safely inside.

They deposited Paterson on the fainting couch, while the twins began to remove his clothes to tend to his wounds. He didn’t look too bad in all honesty, but it was only a few minutes after the fight. Paterson was definitely unconscious, but it looked like most of the blood on his clothes was the other guy’s.

“Caleb,” Thomas said, drawing Caleb’s attention. “Go see where he came in, and try to fix it.”

“Got it,” he said, and ran down the hall. In the bathroom, one of the boards had been pushed in which left a hole just big enough for the malnourished alpha to slip in. Caleb found a few spare nails and a hammer in one of the drawers in the kitchen, and he immediately got to the task of hammering the board back in to place. He tried not to hurry, because he wanted to make sure the board didn’t come off, but he was also terrified that his alpha might be dying without him there.

**Author's Note:**

> I also have a [tumblr](https://thez1337.tumblr.com/), feel free to stop by and say hi or drop me a drabble.


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